Kingdom Hearts III: Dawn of Destruction
by Axiel 13
Summary: Part 1 of 3. A mysterious and frightful enemy draws closer to Kingdom Hearts, while everyone works together to stop him. Will it be enough? No world is safe from his touch. The touch of destruction.   Rateds T for language and violence, no SoKu!
1. Prologue: The King's Letter

This is the first chapter of what will hopefully become a loved fanfic for KH fans. This will follow his side of my KH3 vision. Enjoy!

I do not own Kingdom Hearts or anything associated with it (Square Enix or Disney).

* * *

Sora sat beside Riku, his best friend and fellow Islander, enjoying the sight of the deep ocean as a gentle breeze blew past them. The tree they sat on had not changed, unlike themselves, in the last year and few months. Kairi approached them silently, but Sora could smell her sweet perfume in the air around them. His stomach clenched at the smell and he felt as if the temperature had gone up ten degrees in a few short seconds. Riku sat up beside him, looking out as the waves came in, similar to that fateful night when his life changed.

"What ya got, Kairi?" Sora asked bluntly as he noticed the bottle she held tenderly, as if it were a child. Inside the small glass bottle was a letter with the King's seal holding it perfectly shut. Riku glanced over his shoulder, only to look with a more renewed interest a moment later.

Sora took the bottle politely and looked at Riku as he pulled the piece of yellow parchment out of its container. Riku kept his eyes glued on the letter, his grin playing around on his face.

_Sora and Riku,_

_Congratulations on all you guys have done! Xemnas is no more and Kingdom Hearts is safe again. For now._

_However, a new threat is upon us. And I'm afraid you two will not be strong enough to keep it from the power of Kingdom Hearts alone._

_So, I'm coming to teach you a few things I know or have guessed may work. I will arrive in exactly seven days. I'll explain the little I know upon my arrival._

_Everyone from the castle sends you well wishes._

_Your friend,_

_Mickey Mouse_

_P.S. Sorry that I'm once again pulling you into a journey that will take you away from your home._

Riku finished the letter first and returned his gaze to the waves, a smile lighting up his features. _This time_, he thought, _I'm a part of it all_.

"What about me?" Kairi asked softly, having read the letter over Sora's shoulder. "I'm not just going to stay here again."

Sora looked at her, his eyes showing just how worried he was for her already. "Kairi…it's dangerous…you could get…"

Riku closed his eyes. "Here we go…" he muttered, slightly bemused.

"What? I could get hurt? Sora, it is probably even more dangerous here on the islands! I mean, I always get kidnapped! That wouldn't happen if I was with you two the entire time. And I need to be able to defend myself. Besides…don't you…"

Sora looked at Kairi as she closed her mouth and looked down at the ground. "Don't I what?"

Riku couldn't stop himself from bursting with laughter at the entire situation. Sora and Kairi had been like this since they had returned to the islands. One would make it obvious that they liked the other, and the other would totally miss it at the time, only to turn around and make it obvious themselves.

Kairi shook her head. "Forget it," she said as she plopped down on the tree beside Sora. At the same moment, Riku stretched out and stood to his full height. As he did, three other teenagers appeared behind him. One tackled him hard, smearing him against the ground.

Wakka hadn't changed much in the near two years they had been gone. The only noticeable difference was his height as well as his more muscular figure. He was at least two inches taller than before, and looked strong enough to lift Simba without much trouble. His hair had grown slightly longer, though it still stood in a single mountain-like spike. His thick arms wrapped around Riku's shoulders, pulling him to his feet with joyous laughter.

"How ya been, brotha'? We missed ya all this time! Thank Yevon you're home again," he said, releasing his friend, who staggered back a few steps before punching him in the shoulder lightly.

"I've been good. You...you've changed," he replied, taken aback by the larger teen before him.

Tidus suddenly charged at Riku empty-handed, only to find himself flipping through the air to land ungraciously on his back. He laughed as he sat up, turning to look up at the strongest of the four of them. At least, who he believed to be the strongest.

He had changed as well, now about an inch taller than Sora, who sat there beaming at his friends. He also looked thicker, as if he and Wakka had lifted weights the entire time they had been missing. His eyes locked onto Sora's, and a grin emerged on his face. "Hey! You're back! Guess things will be normal around here now, right?"

"As far as normal goes, I guess," was the happy reply. He stood up and, as usual, his arms found their way behind his head, as if his neck wasn't strong enough to support it without their aid. His grin widened as memories of his battles with these two came to the forefront of his mind.

"Well...since we're all here," Tidus began, "let's have a two on two battle! Me and Wakka against you two?"

Riku laughed as the words passed the young teens lips. "I think we are more than a match for you two," he commented, only to find python-like arms wrapping around him in a headlock.

"A lot has changed, Riku. We ain't weak like before. You been gone too long. I'm the new king of the island," Wakka claimed before an elbow caught him in the ribs, winding him.

"Let's do it!" Sora shouted. Kairi and Selphie, the third teen that had came over, scooted back off the small connected island, laying out under the sun on the bridge, where it would probably be safe. Somewhat. They began to chat about this and that as the boys walked over to their partners. Weapons appeared in everyone's hands as they took up battling positions.

Sora and Riku noticed that Tidus wasn't holding a simple pole, but a sword that seemed to be made of water. It looked sturdy, with a dangerous tip that curved sharply into a point able to rip through cloth, or snag weapons and armor away from enemy hands. Wakka's original blitzball had changed drastically. It now had knives sticking out of it in a row all the way around it, and was red along the outside. A thin yellow line was between the red and a black portion with a yellow center. This center had six smaller knives coming out in a circle around it. The other side of the ball was exactly like this first side, and his hand held on carefully, his fingers placed expertly between the blades. They saw the looks of shock on their friends' faces, and smiled proudly.

"You're impressed, ya? This baby is my own design. Cost me a lot of munny, but _World Champion_ is totally worth it!"

"And _Brotherhood _was given to me by Wakka. We're bonded through this blade. No one can beat us as a team!" Tidus said confidently, swinging the blade around in the air before grabbing the pommel again.

_Way to Dawn_ and _Oblivion _appeared in the two Keybearers' hands. A smirk was sitting comfortably on one teen's face, as his partner smiled competitively. After a second, three of the teens ran at each other, while the largest of them sent his blitzball flying towards the most obvious silver haired target. He slid across the ground underneath the projectile before striking out against the owner, who hopped back swiftly. He followed the dodge with a quick leap over his attacker, catching his weapon and twisting in midair to catch a pure black keyblade between two knives and deflecting it.

Riku was distracted by the assault of the younger teen wielding his new sword. He was certainly quicker, but each time their blades caught against each other, it jarred the older teenager, proving his opponent's newfound strength. With a grunt, he pushed him away and slashed with his keyblade. At the last second, his target leapt into the air and did a flip or somersault that connected his feet with Riku's chest. Tidus pushed off with as much force as he could muster before releasing bolts of energy that all crashed into Riku at once, then flew into him again in the exact same spot in his back.

Wakka was caught in a melee battle with the hero with brown spikes. No matter what he tried, he couldn't put any distance between them to throw _World Champion_, though the knives did allow him to defend himself. His foot shot out, crashing against the over-sized black key, but he used this to his advantage and launched off of it into the air. He drew his arm back before letting it whip in front of him, sending his blitzball flying towards Sora. It happened so quickly that the boy hero had just looked up when the weapon crashed into his chest. Luckily, the flat of the smaller blades was what hit him, winding him and possibly leaving an ugly bruise.

Sora's partner had recovered quickly, although he did sport a single scorch mark on his cheek. He launched himself at Tidus with a new ferocity, slamming his keybalde against _Brotherhood _with more power. Tidus caught each attack, fending his favorite opponent off, waiting for a counter. When no opportunity presented itself, he kicked out at Riku, who caught the strike against his right palm and yanked on the leg, pulling the youth onto his back. He followed up with smack to the ribs with _Way to Dawn._

_Oblivion _smacked the blitzball away once more as Tidus hit the ground a few feet away. Wakka had strategically placed himself on top of the paopu tree, allowing him to aim at nearly every spot below him. This proved to be irrelevant if every attempt at a strike with his personal weapon was blocked. Just as he began considering trying a new tactic, Sora stumbled over his own feet, providing a perfect opening. The blitzball flew through the air quickly, but the target had counted on this. He spun quickly, smashing his Keyblade against the wall and sending it rocketing back with even more force. It smashed against its owner, knocking him off of the tree and into the surf below, ending with a large _splash! _

Riku was now turning the tide of battle in his favor, assaulting his opponent with a barrage of powerful attacks. He shook his head as his teammate approached, wanting to finish this on his own. Tidus was tiring quickly, and the older keybearer realized that his endurance was no more developed than before, meaning he hadn't had a good long challenge without him around. He smashed his key lower than before, less than six inches from where it was being held. The force of this blow went right into the hand and wrist of Tidus, whose arm flew to the side. He was wide open, and his opponent capitalized with a harsh kick. All the air was forced from his lungs and he collapsed, gasping for breath.

"Cure," Sora said, extending his hand out towards the fallen warrior. Tendrils of green energy surronded his chest and wrist, undoing all the damage he had taken to those areas. After a minute, he sat up and smiled.

"Well, that was an amazing battle. I kinda wish I had got to mix it up more with you, Sora, but battling Riku is always a rush. My head feels like it's spinning from that kick..." he said, laughing and falling back to rest. Meanwhile, his teammate had returned from the water and was smiling, though he had a deep cut on his arm. He was quickly cured before he sank to the ground a few feet from his fallen partner.

"Well, brotha, we got beat. Bad. Yevon knows why I let you convince me to team with you."

"What is that?" Riku asked. "Yevon, I mean."

"Eh? Oh, it is just this religion I picked up after you left. I asked him everyday to return you guys to us safe, ya?"

"It was getting kind of annoying, if you ask me," Tidus cut in, looking at his friend. "It wasn't daily so much as it was hourly. Although...I did hope you guys would come back. Any longer, and maybe I would have started praying, too."

The girls walked over from their spot on the bridge, and a certain boy's stomach began doing flips as a sweet scent once again attacked his nostrils. He looked at the red head he was in love with, and noticed a figure in a black cloak behind her, standing on the roof of the building the bridge ended near. His arm stretched out and lightning burst from his palm. Without hesitating, Sora dove between her and the magical assault, taking the attack square in the chest.

All he felt was an intense pain as all his nerves seemed to short out one by one, leaving him numb to everything around him. Kairi screamed his name. She was scared for his life. He felt as if he was underwater and her voice wasn't clear. He could barely make out a burst of Dark Fira soaring past him towards the attacker. Whoever it was disappeared through a Corridor of Darkness. The last thing he realized before he was overtaken by unconciousness was Kairi. She was holding him tight, whispering "No, no, Sora, I need you! Please stay with me."

* * *

Yeah, anyone who compares the former prolouge with this one will probably vote this one as the better one. This is a rewrite of the original though. Please, review. And read on, of course!


	2. Chapter 1: Shi

Now I get to introduce a new character towards the end of this chapter.

Sora: "Already?"

Why beat around the bush?

Sora: "Give me and Kairi some time together?"

Sorry, Sora. I'll consider it if you do the disclaimer.

Sora: "Riaxdan does not own Kingdom Hearts or its associates. Now can I have time with Kairi?"

I said I'll consider it. Hmmm...

* * *

Seven days later...

The week passed at an agonizingly slow pace for Riku, who found himself alone more and more. Sora and Kairi seemed to grow closer during the week, as she stayed with him to make sure he was okay. He generally sat on the old tree and stared at the waves, twirling _Way to Dawn_ in his hand. His mind constantly wandered to this new adventure he was about to undertake.

He was doing just that as he heard footsteps approach him. Two pairs of footsteps, to be exact. "Sora. Kairi," he said simply, turning towards his friends.

"Hey," they said in unison. Riku noticed they were holding hands, fingers laced together. An icy feeling flooded his body, but he ignored it. _About time, I guess, _he thought to himself.

"Hey...how are you feeling, Sora? Back in shape?" Riku asked, examining his friend critically.

"I'm doing better. It was kind of a blessing, I mean, it convinced me and Kairi to admit our feeli..." Sora stopped mid-sentence and took a deep breath. "Riku…"

"I'm okay. With you two, I mean. On one condition, though."

Sora smiled, not surprised that his friend had been able to know what he was thinking. "Really?"

"Yeah. But, I'm not traveling with you Sora."

"Huh?"

_Typical Sora._ "On this next journey, I'm going it alone. Don't try to follow me, okay?"

Sora nodded once before Kairi gasped and pointed at the sky. Something was hurtling through the sky towards the island. It was vaguely shaped like a Gummi Ship.

The King had arrived.

* * *

The reunion took place on the sandy beach. Donald and Goofy had joined Mickey. Riku assumed this was just for extra protection. Hugs and laughter were exchanged between the friends.

"So they finally started dating?" The Mouse King asked Riku, who smiled and nodded in response.

Donald and Goofy talked to Kairi as Sora, Riku, and Mickey started to walk towards the tree Riku had spent so much time on as of late.

"So, why are you here, Your Majesty?" Sora asked, much less excited about leaving the islands than Riku.

"Well, boys, as I said in my letter, there is a new threat to Kingdom Hearts. But he is doing much more than Xemnas or Maleficent ever did. He is going to try and capture all seven princesses of heart. He also plans to restore the connection that was in The World That Never Was. And..," Mickey stopped abruptly and jumped straight to the top of the tree. Riku and Sora climbed up behind him.

"What else is there, Mickey?" Riku asked. He felt a sense of pride at being one of the few people who referred to the King by his first name. Few others ever did that. As far as Riku knew, it was only him, the Queen, and the fallen Ansem the Wise.

"An incredibly powerful blade. The X-Blade. It exists alongside Kingdom Hearts. If all of those things are gathered, Kingdom Hearts may easily become his. And he will surely wield it as an ultimate weapon."

Sora grinned. "Why so down, Your Majesty? We will stop them. Always have before, right?"

Mickey sighed. "I'm not so sure this time. This guy is more dangerous than Xehanort ever would have been. He knows things few others ever learned. And he ordered the attack that put you out for two days, Sora. I don't have any information on him. Except for a name. Shi… Shi of the Dark Death."

Riku couldn't keep his practiced smirk off of his face. "Light and Dark. Wait till he faces off against me. Dawn. An in-between."

"Riku…" Mickey started softly. "I don't want you relying too heavily on the darkness. We can't risk you falling back into the dark realm."

Riku faced the King sitting on top of the tree. "I won't totally lose my body like last time. But…I will NOT fail the worlds, or Kingdom Hearts, either."

Mickey smiled. "That is all we can ask for, I suppose. Training begins tomorrow. Be ready to see the Keyblades do more than ever before."

* * *

Shi laughed as he sat at the head of his 'Table of Darkness', where he was joined by multiple dark minds with goals in mind that they couldn't complete on their own. Shi had promised them help to end the grudges and help them take over their home worlds.

And in return, they would help him.

_Perhaps I should mention that they will die when I take their worlds back from them…oh well. Most of them desrve to die. I guess I can't help but be fond of the few stronger ones. I'll let them rule with me as the grand ruler over them._

"Now then," Shi began, leaning forward in his throne at the head of the table. "I think our first mission should be recovering some lost allies. A few will not be…salvageable. But the rest…" Shi paused to laugh. "They will be a whole new set of beings. The first of the Elite Twisted."

Everyone laughed, but Shi laughed the longest. Because he knew the truth. More than anyone else, he knew.

Most of them would become Twisted too.

* * *

Okay, well that was my O.C. villian for this story. The next chapter is much longer, so I hope you have time to read it. Review please!

This chapter has officially been edited! Just a few changes, nothing major. Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 2: Broken Silence

Well, I told you this is a longer chapter. Now I just have to hope it is also a good one. Now, Donald, Goofy, would you please?

Donald: What're you asking me for?

Because if you don't do it, I'll make Daisy mad at you.

Goofy: Gawarsh, that seems a little harsh.

Do you want to get on my bad side, too?

Donald and Goofy: (quickly) Riaxdan doesn't own Kingdom Hearts or its associates. He does own the OC villains though!

Good job guys. Oh, and I'm sorry in advanced.

Donald: Why?

Oh, you'll see...

* * *

Riku woke up suddenly, sweat running down his face. The moon shined down on him through his window as he rolled out of bed, the wood floorboards squeaking slightly under his weight.

He glanced out of his window and peered at the island where Mickey, Donald, and Goofy were staying. With a sigh, he opened a few dresser drawers and pulled out his usual clothing. He dressed slowly as his thoughts wandered to what the day would hold for him. He had no clue what kind of things Mickey could possibly teach him.

A shadow flashed across Riku's floor as a familiar smell of slight darkness hit his nostrils.(1) Riku didn't flinch as he turned to see his nighttime visitor. Mickey was hanging upside down, looking inside Riku's window.

"Why are you awake?" Mickey asked as he swung inside, landing softly beside Riku's bed.

"Couldn't sleep. Why are you here this late?" the young man retorted.

"Worried about you three. How have you been?"

He thought about the question for a moment before answering. "I guess I've been fine. And I'm more content here on the islands. It's my home, after all. But I'm also glad the vacation is over. I need a challenge."

"Well, Shi will certainly be one heck of a challenge. But there is something else you need to face as well."

"What is that?" Riku asked, confusion apparent in his aqua eyes.

"The decision on where you stand. Even you can't always be in-between. It'll eventually consume your heart."

"Isn't there any way I can remain in-between?" Riku asked, desperation filling his voice. "I'm strongest when I can wield both freely! Kingdom Hearts exploding may have cut the most extreme of my ties to the darkness, but now I can't even call a Corridor of Darkness! How can I protect my friends if I must side with the light or the dark?"

"If there is an answer, you know where it resides."

"Kingdom Hearts," they whispered together.

"I'll find a way to make it work…" he whispered. After a few seconds of silence, a thought struck him. "Would Shi have an answer?"

"Riku! You couldn't trust anything he would tell you," Mickey exclaimed, shocked at the youth's idea.

* * *

"Shi, who will go after the Islander girl? We need her and the other princesses, correct?" a man in a black organization cloak asked, his deep voice echoing in the empty chamber.

"We shall start with the girl, Kairi. But all three experienced Keybearers are near her." Shi opened his eyes. "I want to send a Twisted. The Twisted of the Dusk and the Soldiers. Let's see what it can do."

* * *

Sora and Kairi arrived on the island long after Riku, who was in the middle of sparing with Donald and Goofy to warm-up. Riku glanced at Sora before he continued his battle.

Donald sent a quick _Thundaga _spell at Riku, but he blocked it easily with a _Dark Shield_. The shield worked like a reflect spell, bouncing the attack back towards its caster. He was fried instantly, his feathers darkening to a charcoal black. This didn't stop him from attacking again, this time swinging his weapon at the silver haired youth's face, forcing him to roll backwards to avoid the attack. With a slight distance between them, the mage twirled the staff before unleashing a powerful _Firaga _spell that sent a large fireball directly at Riku. He had no time to block it, so he settled on a more radical course of action. Gathering his legs behind him, the 16 year old dove through the magic fire, _Way to Dawn _cleaving it in half. As the gap between the two closed, he finished the maneuver with a hard kick to the chest of Donald, causing him to lose his grip on his weapon. Riku grabbed the mage's _Save the Queen_ staff as it fell from hands.

Immediately after Riku stabbed the staff into the sand, Goofy launched his shield at the teenager, hoping to catch him off guard. However,another _Dark Shield_ appeared to block the blow. As _Save the King_boomeranged back to its owner, the aqua eyed teen followed it closely. Just as the dog knight grabbed it, Riku slid underneath him, knocking his legs out from underneath him. Goofy fell face first to the ground, smashing his face against his own shield, dazing him and leaving a large knot on his forehead. He didn't stay dazed for long, and when a hand reached for his shield, he rolled away, holding his weapon against his face. He hopped to his feet and took up his battle position when _Dark Fira _crashed against his legs and he fell again. This time Riku was quick to grab the shield and toss it over to lay beside _Save the Queen_.

Riku smirked as he realized he had succeeded. "Disarmed. Review?" he asked, turning towards the king.

Mickey smiled and rubbed his chin, going over how things had played out in his mind. "Well, I'd say you reacted quickly and fought with an unorthodox style. Definitely passable, although I'd like to see more Keyblade use and less reliance on your dark powers. We discussed that plenty last night."

Riku nodded before handing the staff and shield over to their respective owners. They grabbed their weapons, the charred duck muttering about his perfect feathers being ruined. The young man extended his left hand, where he still wore a large wrist band, and muttered "Cura."

Donald's feathers returned to their normal white as the knot on Goofy's head reduced in size until it was gone. The mage jumped up, grumbling about coming here before walking away. The ever optimistic knight just sat up with a "Hyuck" and picked up his shield. "That was a good move, Riku," he complimented before grasping the young man's forearm and standing up.

Mickey turned to Sora and Kairi, who were as they had usually been seen lately: holding hands. "Sora, it's your turn. Disarm Donald and Goofy without them disarming you. Riku, you and I will spar now. Go for the same thing. I won't call my blade back to my side...if you can manage to get it away from me." Mickey said with a smile, summoning _Star Seeker_ instead of _Kingdom Key D_(2), remembering his own training under Yen Sid.

The mouse king jumped at Riku as Sora summoned _Oathkeeper _to his side. Kairi whispered "My charm.." as Donald started with a slow moving _Fira_. Sora blocked it with a quick slash of his Keyblade and attacked Goofy in the same movement. However, Goofy ducked his head below his shield, dodging the attack before he charged forward, crashing into the Keyblade Master and sending him flying into an icy _Blizzaga _spell. He was quickly encased in solid ice, pressed against the hot sand.

Riku was trying hard to fight Mickey, forced in to constant movement my the King's aerial assault. The teen noticed that the King was fast and spun through the air gracefully, almost as if he defied the force of gravity. The young Keybearer stopped moving for half a second, which turned out to be a huge mistake. Mickey was on him within that very second, bashing his Keyblade against _Way to Dawn_. The teen was forced to give ground, backing up towards the salty waters of the ocean.

Sora was mid-brawl as well, having used a _Firaga _spell to thaw himself quickly. He was forced into taking on the knight and the magician as one unit, which made them much tougher to disarm. He found that the two easily covered the others weakness and guarded the others openings. As he blocked a rather powerful _Thundaga _spell, Goofy charged at him once more. Sora had no time to react and the dog plowed through him, sending him sprawling into a large sand dune. Oathkeeper landed a few feet away, half buried. The brunette teen burst free from the sand dune only to be tackled by his opponents, who sat on Sora's back in triumph.

Riku was still holding his own against the Mouse King, but he was tiring quickly. Mickey jumped straight up into the air and came down landing on the silver haired young man's Keyblade. He sliced at his wrist, causing him to drop his Keyblade in order to back away from the attack. Before he could retrieve his fallen weapon, Mickey used a _Blizzaga _spell that broke into multiple pieces, pelting Riku until he used a _Dark Shield _to deflect the rest. The mouse dashed at his friend as _Dark Fira _filled Riku's right hand. When the shield came down, he released the attack directly against the His Majesty's chest, knocking him out of the air. The small Keyblade Master crashed against the sand and skidded a few feet before coming to a stop.

As it hit, Riku could smell something new and unusual approaching them. It was similar to the smell of fruit, like the Heartless, but a hint of burning flesh hung to the scent, like a Nobody. _Are they both coming at us? _he asked himself, but his senses told him that it was more than just both groups approaching. He never would have guessed what it would turn out to be.

"Guys! Something is coming…" Riku shouted. As he did, the sand near Kairi turned black and an odd creature burst out of the ground. Riku could tell from the look on Mickey's face that he had never seen such an enemy before now. Riku could smell a whole new scent pollute the sweet island breeze. This creature was like a rotting corpse, yet the faint scent of oranges could be detected as well. _Is it a mixture...? _

The thing looked at Riku with emotionless eyes, glowing yellow, just like any other Heartless. It was made up of thick silver plated armor, covering its entire body. Its hands were razor sharp gauntlets, similar to a Soldier Heartless. But that wasn't the most important feature on the creature. On its chest was a new emblem. The dark red heart of the Heartless symbol was emblazoned on its chest, but where the two black lines crossed and met, another symbol connected to it. The Nobody symbol, completely in black, connected to the heart and fell below it.

"What is that thing?" Donald asked from somewhere behind Riku. The 'thing' raked its gauntlets together and Heartless and Nobodies appeared between it and everyone minus Kairi. The much larger thing pointed at the Keybearers...and the battle began.

Riku didn't hesitate to throw himself into the fray first, slashing through the multitude of Heartless madly. He knew that Kairi would probably have trouble defending against that monstrous creature, but he quickly realized he would never reach her. Most of the Heartless were Shadows and no more than a third of them were NeoShadows, but they were still a hindrance to progress. As he cut down a NeoShadow, he found himself in the middle of a ring on Nobodies. All twenty of the Nobodies had surrounded him without him realizing it. "Damn it," Riku muttered as he saw that they were all Berserkers "Things always go from bad to worse with these damn things." He charged at one as fast as he could, only to be swatted away like a fly by another one.

"Riku!" Sora yelled, jumping towards his friend only to find a Berserker's fist slamming into his stomach. Goofy was charging through the surrounding mass of Heartless in the general direction of the large, unknown creature. King Mickey followed closely, eliminating Heartless that would threaten Goofy from behind. Donald followed after them slowly, more focused on casting magic than keeping pace with his friends. He used a combination of _Magnera_ and _Thundaga_ to eliminate groups of enemies while pulling them away from the others.

Riku blocked a Berserker's Claymore and spun to the left before impaling the same Nobody on _Way to Dawn, _the Keyblade piercing the nobody emblem on its left pectoral. As it faded, a NeoShadow jumped through the space it had occupied, only to be caught in midair. A warm feeling built in his hand before he blasted _Dark Fira_ through the head of the caught Heartless. The attack sailed on a little father to strike a Shadow and destroy it as well.

Sora had recovered but his demeanor had changed to one of annoyance and worry. He saw Donald be overcome by a large amount of Heartless and knew that the mage couldn't survive the onslaught. As he watched, he focused his will and shouted "Wisdom!" Donald disappeared instantly, though the only way you could tell was by the quick fall of the Heartless int o a smaller pile. Meanwhile, Sora's clothes changed to a dark blue with black flames on the legs. He extended _Oathkeeper_ before him and began shooting bolts of magical energy at the Heartless, as well as a multitude of spells. In a short half minute, he had taken down over eighty Heartless, Donald cheering him on from inside his mind.

Goofy had finally charged through the swarms of enemies only to see Kairi locked in combat against the unknown being by herself. She was barely able to fend it off as it attacked steadily, barely moving from where it stood. His charge continued into its side, throwing it off balance. As he did this, the King jumped into the air, did three tight flips, and slashed into the thing's chest. This only seemed to visually damage its emblem, as it immediately turned and attacked, knocking them back into the circle of Nobodies. As Riku stopped a Berserker from crushing Goofy's skull, Kairi plunged her Keyblade, _Destiny's Place_, into the back of the unknown creature.

As soon as it fell forward and began to fade, the Heartless became less focused, seeming to revert back to their usual instinctual selves. They began scrambling over each other towards the Keybearers. Sora used the **Quick Run **to reach Kairi first, then reverted to his normal form, Donald appearing beside him.

The two groups fought back to each other before something caught Riku's eye. "They're fighting each other," he pointed out with a smirk. "Guess that makes our job a lot easier!"

"Some are even fleeing!" Kairi exclaimed, silently hoping Sora was pleased with her triumph.

"Sora, Kairi! Go lock the keyhole again," Mickey shouted before he lashed out at some enemies. Sora nodded and led Kairi away and Riku took up his fighting stance. Mickey landed beside him again. "No, Riku, you go as well. They may need your protection."

"Are you sure?"

Mickey nodded.

* * *

Riku slid into the Secret Place for the first time since before he had originally left the island. As he crawled into the cavern, he saw a beam of light leave _Oathkeeper_ and heard the keyhole _click _as it shut, protecting the world from darkness_. _

"Well, that was really uneventful," Sora said, optimism restored. As soon as he finished that small statement, another of the unknown creatures came out of the ground.

Riku immediately prepared for battle. "Sora, when we beat this thing, remind me to smack you for saying that!"

* * *

The Heartless disappeared, seemingly for no reason. "Gawarsh, guess they got scared?"

"Well, old friend, I wouldn't count on that. Look," Mickey responded, pointing at a spot where three large Heartless were appearing. "I haven't seen those before…"

The Heartless all had two tentacles instead of arms and their heads were smaller than their bodies. Their bodies also opened up, like a large second mouth in their stomach.

"Umm…Your Majesty? We have fought those before. One of them," Goofy said slowly.

"Parasite Cages!" Donald yelled as one lunged at him suddenly, cage wide open. He sank a fireball into the Parasite Cage's cage-like stomach, knocking it back slightly.

"Shi must be trying to capture us. Be careful you guys!" Mickey pounced at one of the Cages, smashing _Star Seeker_ against its face

Goofy started spinning rapidly, moving so fast that his shield slashed the Parasite Cage like a sword. He continually assaulted the Cage until he began to slow. As he slowed, he stumbled over a rock and fell into the sand. In that same second, one of the Cage's tentacles came down and grabbed him, throwing him into its 'prison' stomach and closing its 'jaw', trapping the dog knight.

Donald struck the cage that had jumped at him with multiple spells as it continued to try and capture him. It smacked him in the back of the head with one of its tentacles, only to have the same tentacle struck with a _Firaga_ spell. As Donald attacked that tentacle, the other one wrapped around him. After a brief struggle, he was captured as well, darkness enclosing him entirely.

Mickey hopped over a tentacle and landed on the other, immediately sprinting up the tentacle and striking out at the Parasite Cage's head over and over. As it swung a tentacle at him, he backflipped off and shot a burst of pure light directly at it. The light slammed into and then pierced through the Parasite Cage's head, and the gaping wound oozed darkness as it faded.

Goofy stood up shakily inside one of the remaining Parasite Cages. He felt around for his shield in the blackness, finding it was lying on the ground to his right. "Hyuck, I gotta get outta here…" Goofy mumbled as he collected his shield and his thoughts. After looking at the shield for a moment, he hurled it against the teeth of the Cage. He did this for a full minute before he began twirling around once more. After a minute of him smashing against its insides, the Parasite Cage seemed to literally spit him out into the sand. Just as it did so, Mickey slayed it with a large slash across its back.

Donald took less time to escape his prison. He ingeniously set the innards of the Heartless on fire, causing it to thrash about and open its cage continuously. On one such occasion of it opening wide, Donald jumped out. He stood up only to have Mickey vault off of his head and destroy the Heartless creature.

"What'd you do that for?" The duck yelled at his long time friend.

"Gee, we should go check on Sora…" Goofy suggested.

"You think?" Donald asked angrily, rubbing his head.

* * *

Riku blocked a clawed gauntlet with a _Dark Shield _as Sora caught the other one against his Keyblade. Kairi recklessly charged in between the gauntlets and sliced at it, though this left little more than a scratch on its 'face'. It did seem to annoy it though, because a second later it broke free of its stalemate with Sora and swiped at her. Sora moved faster than ever to place himself between her and the gauntlet.

He was seconds from having his back ripped open, only for the gauntlet to be blasted away by _Dark Fira_. The unknown being immediately swung around Sora and Kairi, showing off its agility for the first time. Riku noted how it moved before leaping at it, striking its back with _Way to Dawn_. It stumbled forward as Kairi and Sora moved to each side. Sora turned towards it and let a _Blizzaga _spell loose from his Keyblade. The spell hit squarely in the thing's back and it faded away quickly.

"Hmmph. Seems like its back is a weak point," Riku pointed out before slugging Sora in the arm. "DO NOT do stuff that stupid again. I think Kairi can protect herself just fine."

Sora rubbed his arm gingerly. "I know, it was just instinct okay?"

Kairi stepped close to the spiky headed boy, looking into his eyes. "I CAN protect myself...but it was sweet..." she whispered, leaning in close till she pressed her soft lips against Sora's, who blushed deeply, but kissed her nonetheless.

Riku just looked around the cave with a smirk, his eyes locking onto the drawing of a certain couple sharing star-shaped fruit.

"Let's call them Commanders!" Sora shouted enthusiastically as he and Kairi parted. When he saw Riku's expression, he explained himself. "Well, they did seem to command the Heartless and Nobodies. And didn't the Heartless seem more focused?"

Riku nodded as the short King walked into the cavern himself. "Everything okay here?"

"You were right again. Come on, I'll tell you everything outside." As he and Mickey walked out, he pointed at the drawing he had spotted. "Later, love birds." Sora turned to see what Riku was talking about and saw the drawing of him and Kairi. An instant red flushed his features, and one look at Kairi would reveal that she was the same way, though Sora found he would rather fight Xemnas in his boxers than look at her at that moment.

Laughing all the way outside made Riku feel like some of the stress in his muscles had already dissipated. "I'm surprised none of you were captured or killed. Not even the little princess," someone said from above them. Riku and Mickey spun around to see a man in a black Organization cloak. He stood at nearly seven feet tall and must have weighed nearly three hundred pounds.

"Who are you?" Mickey asked. _He obviously isn't nearly as informed this time around, _Riku thought. _Guess that is to be expected..._

The man pulled back his hood, exposing a bald head , deep purple eyes, and a dark scowl. "My name is Riaxdan. Master Shi sent me here to see how you fought together against his…creations. Too bad they didn't perform to my expectations. If they had, perhaps I would have retrieved the heart of the princess by now." His voice was deep and unwavering, and it immediately made a wave of unease pass over the aqua eyed Keybearer.

"What were those things?" Riku asked, speaking just as calmly as Riaxdan. He felt like blasting this man with _Dark Fira_ before cutting him to pieces, but he knew information was important. He also felt that this man could crush him between his bare hands if he got the chance to try. _Better be careful around him..._

"Shi…Master Shi created them. He titled them the Twisted." Riaxdan paused, as if he wasn't interested in explaining in depth. Before Riku could open his mouth, though, he continued. "He took Heartless and fused them with Nobodies. Dozens of possibilities opened up, as long as he didn't restore the creatures to human form. A whole new army is at his fingertips. Smarter, stronger, and faster than any Heartless or ordinary Nobody. Able to control both lower beings. And we can control them. It is certainly a...clever creation, though this combination of Soldiers and Dusks certainly seems to be a failure. Perhaps I'll test my own against you at some point. If you live long enough," he added.

"Who is we?" Riku asked, ignoring the jibe.

Riaxdan laughed. "Our people. Your future killers. But…I'm not revealing our society's name just yet. Just know we are vast and touch many worlds. Stay out of our way from now on. It's safer that way."

Just as he finished, Donald rounded the corner and spotted him. Without hesitating or thinking, he cast a spell and electricity came down quickly. Riaxdan didn't bother moving from the spot, instead just raising his arm to the sky and catching the attack in his palm.

His face contorted in rage. "DON'T PUSH FOR A BATTLE, YOU FOOLS!" He yelled as he made a fist. "AND DON'T YOU EVER USE MY POWERS AGAINST ME!"

"Fine," Riku called back, ignoring the piece of information they had inadvertently received. _Dark Fira_ flared into his hands and he threw it at the mysterious man's face.

But again, Riaxdan refused to move. He suddenly grinned as a wall of stone came out of the ground in front of him, shielding his entire body. When it disappeared, he was gone.

* * *

1. For those of you who don't know, one of Riku's natural dark abilities is supposed to be the ability to smell darkness. It obviously had its uses here, too.

2. This is just the name I've actually seen in 358/2 Days. Don't like it? Sue me. Oh, and as for Kairi's Keyblade, it's the name I saw on Kingdom Hearts wiki. Don't like it? Too bad. I'm trying to stay true to the game.

Donald: You got some explaining to do!

Ummm...wasn't I just doing that?

Donald: I mean about what happened to us!

I don't have to explain a thing! I am the controller of fate in this fanfic!

Anyways, please, read and review. Hope you enjoy the next chapter. Training time!

All done editing this chapter, hope the battle scenes have improved.


	4. Chapter 3: Accelerating Darkness

Well, that chapter was long...don't worry, this one is just half the size. Now, as a special treat, Shi himself will do the disclaimer.

Shi: Riaxdan does not own Kingdom Hearts or its associates. He owns only the O.C.'s and plot. And do to the owning of this plot, he will do whatever pleases him, as will I. And I will have power!

Sad to say, but he just might. I'm only about ten chapters ahead of this point. Anything can happen.

Shi: So, why are you named after my cohort?

Well, I'm kinda doing a forum based on your group. I mainly control him, and you. Describing some past actions and such.

Shi: I better be well represented.

Please, you are just an extension of my own twisted mind.

* * *

The next day, everyone met once more on the rarely visited island. _Wonder why I haven't seen Tidus or Wakka here lately…or Selphie, for that matter. Do they just not need this island anymore? And what is this so called 'society' that Shi has started? I bet Mickey has sat up late, just like me, trying to understand. I just want to relax and fight Tidus again. _Riku sighed and shook the thoughts from his head. He had been mentally overwhelming himself lately.

Mickey stood before the stressed teenager well on his way to becoming a man, as well as Sora. "Plans have changed," the mouse explained. "I'm dropping most of your training and throwing you in the deep end. I'm just going to teach you each one thing, but you'll find it has its uses. I just hope they work."

Sora's eyes sparked at the idea of making the Keyblade do something new. His thoughts were along the lines of it being more than just a blade in battle, like a bow or a whip, though it would take him awhile to master such a thing. "How else can we use the Keyblades?" he asked, the excitement as obvious in his voice as it was in his blue eyes.

Mickey raised _Star Seeker_ above his head, aiming at a nearby tree. A single burst of golden light shot out and knocked down a coconut, which fell to the ground in two seperate and equal halves. "Try it, Sora. Will the light out of your Keyblade, like you do with magic. Feel it envelop you and pass the energy through your Keyblade," he lectured.

The spike headed boy stood slowly and began practicing as Riku walked over to Donald. "Can I ask a favor?"

"What do you want?" Donald asked, in his usual grumpy mood. He was missing Daisy fiercely and, while he considered Sora a close friend, he would much rather have stayed at the castle with her. And he had made this complaint to Mickey on a few occasions. He had adventured enough in his mind.

"Teach Kairi magic!" Riku exclaimed, locking eyes with the much shorter duck. "So she can defend herself. And hopefully that will keep Sora out of trouble trying to defend her constantly," he added as an explanation to the magician's angry look.

The Court Magician eyed the Keybearer for a moment longer before replying, "…Yeah, okay, I can do that."

Just then, Sora cheered. "Awesome. I finally feel it!" Sora shot down a few more coconuts with a bright blue beam of light, though they weren't as clean cut as the King's, before turning to Riku. "Come on, Riku, your turn. It is incredible! You just have to have faith in yourself!"

With a shrug, Riku summoned and aimed _Way to Dawn_ at Sora, not bothering to mention that the only faith he had was in his and his friends' abilities to fight. Sora gulped, hoping his friend was just joking and had already mastered the ability.

"I can't do it, Sora…the darkness in my heart won't let the light out like that. It just doesn't work," Riku informed his friend, sounding distracted as he wondered what his small mouse friend planned to teach him.

Mickey nodded when the Keyblade Master glanced his way for confirmation. "It's okay. Riku, you can use _Dark Fira_, right? So, why not try using your Keyblade as a conduit for that ability. I'm pretty sure you can do with darkness what Sora and I do with light."

Riku looked at the waves as he listened to and pondered the King's words. With a nod, he focused on calling the darkness to his right hand. When he felt the familiar warmth and slight pulse of power in his hand, he pushed it further, through his fingertips and into his blade. It visibly accumulated there until he slashed downwards. A visible streak of black fire came out and traveled towards the water until it eventually flickered out of exsistence.

He smirked as he repeated the process, already having thought of another new technique to try. As soon as enough darkness gathered on the edge of _Way to Dawn_, he slammed it against the ground, emitting the _Dark Fira_ in a shockwave like burst. "Wow…" he muttered to himself, watching the wave of fire travel farther.

Sora jumped in front of his love, _Oathkeeper_ protecting them both. Mickey just leapt over the shock wave in his acrobatic manner as Goofy stepped in front of Donald, his shield easily standing against the wave of darkness.

"Everyone okay?" Mickey asked as he and Donald put out flames on the surrounding trees and grass. Riku examined his Keyblade closely, and seeing no visible damaged, dismissed it immediately. Everyone said they were fine.

"Wow, Riku," Kairi said with a laugh, "save that for the enemies. I'd hate to have to hurt you for burning my favorite clothes!" Everyone laughed as she looked at her longtime friend with mock anger on her face.

"Okay, why don't you take five? You guys caught on a lot quicker than I expected you too," Mickey suggested. "Perhaps I have underestimated them," he added to himself.

Everyone spread out and relaxed as the sun passed over them slowly. Mickey decided there was no point in practicing abilities Riku and Sora had just been naturally gifted at. As Kairi began to practice magic with Donald under a midday sun, Sora came over and sat by his rival and ally.

"Hey, thanks for getting Donald to train Kairi…she has been practicing by herself, but she hadn't attempted magic yet. And thanks for understanding me and Kairi being together so much more. We're just getting used to being a couple...an actual couple," the younger teen said, his voice reflecting the disbelief in his heart.

"Ah, come on, of course you two are together. That's how it was always meant to be! Don't be so surprised, or doubtful. Doubting is my job," he said jokingly, pushing the other teen inti the sand as they had done when they were kids. "What's really on your mind, Sora?"

A sigh was all Riku heard in ersponse for a long moment. "I don't want you traveling alone," sora began after a minute of silence. "I've thought about it and you can't just run through a Corridor of Darkness when things get bad. I mean, if you find trouble you can't handle…" he said, his voice dropping off as the real possibility of losing his best friend again weighed down on his mind.

A smirk lightened the features Riku's silvery hair didn't hide. "Well, I'm not traveling with you or Kairi. Donald and Goofy can have babysitting duty." He laughed at the look on Sora's face. "Mickey will surely go off and do his own thing. So that leaves who to be my partner?"

"Tidus and Wakka!" Sora shouted, feeling desperate. This caused Riku to laugh harder than he had a few seconds ago.

"Please, Sora. Did you forget that I beat them and Selphie by myself. Or that we beat them just eight days ago. And they don't have experience fighting anything close to the Heartless or the Nobodies. Or the new Twisted things...they would just slow me down. Probably get me killed, actually…" he mused over this thought for a second before it left his mind. _I'm NOT going to die fighting some Kingdom Hearts seeking psycho! _

"Come on, Riku. Why not just me and you go? We can have Kairi protected and..."

"Sora, it's simple," he cut in. "Think of all the stars in the sky. All of those are worlds. And there are simply too many of them to split up between two groups. We have to search each and every place we can for info on Shi. Look," he began, facing his longtime friend, "if I find trouble, I can always call you or Mickey and get some backup. So calm down okay? I know how to keep my nose clean, unlike you."

Sora was silent for a long moment before he sighed. "Yeah, I guess," he responded half-heartedly.

* * *

Shi sat on his throne, awaiting the arrival of one of, no, THE best and most capable of his men. Riaxdan was formidable in battle under any situation, and held sway over all of the elements. He was loyal and driven. He was a perfect soldier. As he waited, the dark being's thought drifted to a certain battle in his past.

_Shi stood opposite a man similar to Riaxdan, with a head of short, sandy blonde hair. They charged at each other, Shi empty-handed while the other man attacked with a large and strange weapon. It had a foot long handle and a seven foot blade. Runes ran up the blade to the top, where the weapon resembled an axe. On the other side of the top, the metal was warped to look as if a dark crescent moon sat in the axe. It was named Nova Eclipse. _

_Shi caught the blade against his bare palms. "How? How are you so strong?" The man asked, causing him to laugh. _

"_I wield the full power of the darkness. Hell, I am darkness incarnate. And I'm taking your heart!" He responded, throwing the other man against the wall opposite him. Immediately after, darkness seemed to devour his hand, until it took the shape of pure black sword. "Before I kill you, tell me your name. I always know the name of a person I kill in battle, you see."_

_The man grinned as he stood on wobbly legs. "My name is…Niarad." The man, Niarad, charged forward, swinging from the right. Shi reacted with unnatural speed, but that worked against him. The larger man was feinting and spun, bringing his blade around from the left, slamming his weapon against Shi's chest._

_With an oof, Shi let all the air out of his lungs before he slammed into a wall. It crumbled as a chunk of the ground shot into his stomach, slamming him into the wall harder, cracking it beneath the force of the blow. The entire side of the building came down on top of him, bburying him under debris. Niarad managed to escape from under the building before he pivoted and smashed down the other half of the building, toppling it with a single strike._

_As it collapsed entirely, Niarad sighed, looking at the town in ruins around him. "Forced to destroy my own hometown to kill a single man…at least the people have safely gotten away."_

_Rubble shifted and a cry of pain echoed through the rubble of what was once a vibrant small town. Shi had a look of pure bloodlust overtaking his face as his blade pierced straight through Niarad's heart. "I will not be beaten by someone like you, no matter how strong you may be! Now, give me your Heartless. Give me your Nobody. Come back and I'll make you whole again. I'll restore your lost village and make it flourish for your people. All for a little work. Just be sure to come back!" Shi whispered as Niarad cried out and darkness enveloped him._

A corridor opened directly beside Shi's throne as he remembered Riaxdan's final moments before being reborn as a Nobody. "You did not battle them? I'm surprised…after all, for a Nobody, you do have an actual temper. A side effect of your condition, of course. My creations…so pitiful, keeping their final emotion. And you…you have such a short fuse. I thought having half a heart would make you calmer. You're closing in on redemption, after all." Shi said every word slowly, forcing himself under Riaxdan's skin. He knew that he had in fact tainted the bits of the large mage warrior's heart with his own manevalent presence.

The bald man kneeled before his master. "I'm sorry, Master Shi. But I only saw the Mouse King and the One of Darkness."

"It is no matter. Riaxdan, I believe you and I need to take trip soon. The others will need what we are to go after, if they are to survive. Never hurts to work in pairs, does it? Then again, that didn't help you when we met..."

"I'm honored to join you. When shall we depart?" the element master asked, ignoring the comment about his past.

Shi smiled. "It will be awhile before we need to go, and only if my first plan does not work. Riaxdan, are you my servant?" he questioned, changing the subject quickly.

"Well…I…" he stuttered, glancing at Shi for a moment. "I am your most humble servant," he answered, making Shi chuckle.

"Wrong, Riaxdan. Most who join us are my servants. Do you know what you are?" Shi asked, confusing the large man.

_What else could I be? If I am not a servant…then I am nothing? _"No, I cannot say that I do."

"You are my only true ally. You are…someone I can trust completely. Important to me and to my victory." Shi called his new sword to him. It looked to be the same black steel as his previous weapon, but he knew that it had the capability to be so much more. "You shall be my guardian. Riaxdan, master of elements, with _Accelerating Darkness_, the blade of my life force, I rechristian you as my brother. We shall share all the spoils of this war."

_Why?_ was all Riaxdan thought.

* * *

Why, indeed. Seriously, people, review. I will not put the new chapter on until I get a least a review. I need them so that I can critically judge myself as a writer. Help me! (Okayyy, I'm not that crazy. But seriously, review, or no more chapters.)

By the way, I'm gonna try and get pics of some things up on a site, and I'll put links on my profile so you can check them out. More info when I get it going!

Edited! And yes, I know I am still cryptic about Shi and Riaxdan and really everything else, but that is how it is. You will learn whatever I decide, whenever I decide.


	5. Chapter 4: Clash of Keys

OK folks, I'm back online for the weekend. Hectic school and social life has kept me away, but I'm owned by the computer this weekend. Just like I own all OC's, but unfortunately do not own Kingdom Hearts or its associates.

Riku: When are we getting off the island? I wanna travel already.

Hmmm...the next chapter you appear in, I believe...

* * *

"Come on, Your Majesty, help me out!" a certain teenager's voice begged.

The darkness of night was only broken by the moonlight reflected on the ocean's surface. Sora had always loved it here on the island, where he could smell the salty sea water. He could almost taste it in the air around him, feel its touch against his skin, as if he was submerged in it suddenly.

"Sora, I trust Riku's decision. Actually…" the King thought for a moment, then nodded. "I will decide the traveling parties while we are at Disney Castle. Before we set off, I will have decided, and everyone will listen to my decision. Ok?"

"No! I'm not losing him or Kairi ever again," shouted Sora, outraged. "What if he gets into trouble?"

A silent form dropped out of a tree behind the arguing youth. He stepped forward, and silver hair could just barely be made out by the light of the moon. "I'll get out of it," Riku said casually as looked out onto the sea, marveling at its beauty. "Sora, stop worrying so much. If anything happens, I'll call to you and Mickey. My hearts are connected to both of yours, right?"

Sora just shook his head like a stubborn five-year-old. "Remember when we used to compete? And bet silly little things, like naming the raft?"

Riku remembered a certain competition extremely well, and a plan formulated in his mind. Assuming he was right about his friend's intentions. "This isn't like you, Sora, but yeah…what about it?"

"Let's fight to settle this. Keyblades only, no magic…."

"No drive forms," Riku cut in. "And no darkness. If you lose, you drop it, okay? You just let me do my thing." He extended his hand slowly as he said this, knowing Sora would jump at the chance.

"And if I win, you and someone else travel together."

They shook hands, both confident in their ability to defeat the other.

"Oh," the larger teenager began suddenly, "no light shooting either, Sora."

His friend cursed under his breathe as each mentally prepared to fight once more.

* * *

Early the next morning, as the sun began to rise over the ocean, the group of six met beside the paopu tree. Riku's custom smirk wasn't present as he took up his battle stance, _Way to Dawn_ appearing in his hand. Sora grasped _Oathkeeper_ tightly. He frowned at the Keyblade, then swung it around. The keychain transformed and the blade turned into _Oblivion_.

"Seems more appropriate. First to fall off?" Sora offered as a means of victory.

"Or to quit," Riku added with a nod.

"Guys, why do you have to fight? Isn't there a better way?" Kairi pleaded for the fourth time that morning. Sora frowned, knowing exactly how she felt. Though he couldn't imagine her pain, watching her two best friends fight, he knew how hard it was to fight his best friend after everything that had happened.

"Gawarsh, they sure do seem determined…" Goofy whispered to Donald as they watched from the small wood bridge.

Mickey stepped forward. "Ok, boys, you know the rules. I'll be watching." He jumped back and a barrier appeared, blocking off the bridge. "Begin!" He called out as Donald explained about natural magical forces and the barriers involved with duels to Kairi.

Sora took the first move, swinging wildly from left to right, forcing Riku towards the edge quickly. He watched closely, and with perfect timing, he parried one of his friend's swings and jumped over him. After rolling forward, out of _Oblivion's_ range, he turned to see Sora miss an attack completely, slashing through thin air at the spot he believed Riku to be standing. He attempted kicking his friend off of the island, but his foot was caught against black steel.

Sora pushed against the aqua eyed Keybearer as hard as he could, who leapt into the air using the force of the push to gain additional height. The Keyblade Master launched _Oblivion_ after him, and it collided against Riku's stomach, pulling a solid "Oof!" from him, before he called it back to his hand. Riku fell from the air and landed about two feet from the edge of the island. As soon as he began to pick himself up off of the ground, Sora approached using **Quick Run**, swinging hard for the exposed side of his rival.

_Way to Dawn_ caught the blow as it materialized in a flash of light, less than six inches from Riku's ribs. He was gasping in air, preparing to continue, unsure if he had sustained an injury from that attack. Sora tried kicking his side, but his superb reflexes allowed him to catch it against his open palm. With a grunt, he pulled Sora down onto the ground before standing up and dusting himself off.

"Well, quitting yet, Sora?" Riku asked cheekily. He glanced down when he got no response, to find a fist coming towards his face. It connected with his jaw, knocking him backwards. Stars filled his vision as he backed over the edge with a startled cry of pain and surprise.

"Yes, I did it!" Sora called out, raising his Keyblade in victory. A few long seconds later he heard the familiar sound of a Keyblade slicing through open space right behind him.

_Way to Dawn_ slapped against Sora's shoulder blades with a gruesome _crack_, throwing him face first against the barrier, nearly breaking his nose. "Don't ever…count me out," Riku said between breathes as he shook his free hand. Catching his weight on one hand had nearly broken his wrist. After a few seconds, he brandished his Keyblade proudly before leaping forward, slashing left and right in an X pattern. Sora just managed to roll out of the way, only to spin back towards his opponent and smash _Oblivion_ against the back of his knees. The larger teenager fell face first into the ground, but rolled onto his back only to freeze immediately.

A breeze floated across the island, softly playing with everyone's hair. Kairi's auburn hair partially obscured her vision, but she tucked it behind her ear and looked on in awe. Sora, whose spikes were bouncing slightly, had his blade pinned against Riku's throat. No one made a move, nor did they make a sound. "Give up, yet?" Sora asked triumphantly, staring into the wind revealed eye of his closest friend.

Riku smirked as he looked at his opponent. "Do I ever give up against you, Sora?" He grabbed the waistband at the back of Sora's pants and tugged, dragging him down to the ground. As Riku sat up and Sora rolled backwards over his legs, he gave the shocked battler a quick shove, sending him tumbling over the edge.

Sora barely saved himself from a loss at that moment. He slammed _Oblivion_ into the side of the small island and held on tight. His weight nearly ripped the blade out of his hand, but he managed to hold on. Barely. He swung himself until he could flip over the top and stand on his Keyblade. Riku glanced over the edge just as he jumped into the air with a wicked and pleased grin.

Time almost seemed to slow down for the two warriors with a bond stronger than that of brothers, as each swung with their respective Keyblades. _Oblivion_ caught Riku across the jaw line, knocking him backwards. However, _Way to Dawn _still connected with Sora's midsection. With a large _splash_, Sora fell into the shallow water below him, and the match was over.

A few potions later and they were back to normal, all bumps and bruises forgotten. "Deal is a deal, right, Sora?" Riku asked, sitting beside his friend against the paopu tree. Something in his voice caused Sora to look him over critically. He saw the same old Riku, as usual.

"Yeah…." Sora responded cautiously.

Riku laughed and looked into Sora's blue eyes. "Good. Remember the deal back before we left the island? When we had that huge race? Other than naming the raft."

It took a moment for him to recall the deal Riku was talking about, and when he did he groaned. "The paopu fruit…and Kairi?"

Riku just pointed in response as he gingerly removed the mentioned fruit from its resting place.

* * *

Kairi: Ok, a fight between Sora and Riku...woohoo? Why bother?

One, becuz i can. And two, so people wouldn't expect them to team up immediately. No excuses now. Riku is on his own. For better...or more likely, worse. And three, if this were the third game, this would be the big battle at the end of the proluge part of the game. Though, believe me, things never have to last long.

Read and Review! Thank you!

Side note: In response to Light Echoes in the Darkness's review, there is a method to my madness. I want all readers to know that. Only I and Shi can know everything.

Shi: What the hell do you know?

Ummm...same as you? Considering...I am your maker?

Shi: Righttttt...*curses to himself*

Edited! Thanks to inspiration reading Shire Folk's writing, I'm going to continue into the night!


	6. Chapter 5: Family Ties

This chapter is mainly just one of two set-up/introductory chapters, with a bit of fluff towards the end. Now, Riaxdan, why don't you do the disclaimer?

Riaxdan: Riaxdan...wait, why are our names the same?

Well, i explianed this before. Forum. all i'm saying.

Riaxdan: Fine. We own nothing but OC's.

Dude, why so stiff and pissed off?

Riaxdan: I work under Shi. You know exactly how that is!

Woah, calm down! Listen to me! You get a huge break! So calm down!

Riaxdan: (blasts thunder at me) SILENCE FOOL!

(laughs as the thunder fades) ok, now you're gonna hate this new OC. muhaha (starts planning for the future)

* * *

The darkness inside the castle was no longer frightening to the teenage girl who now roamed its halls. She had grown accustomed to the dust covered gloom of the stone walls and the creaks of the doors. It had become her second nature to ignore her surroundings, letting things pass by her without her taking notice. She had too much training to do before; now, well, now she was just anxious to leave. But she needed her father's permission. Or her punishment would be a swift and painful death.

She could still remember the bright gates of the castle, and how they shined with a brilliance matched by the world beyond them. Now they were simply covered in a dark ooze from the comings and goings of the men who worked under her father. The halls were no longer the clean, white marble they had once been, but dark gray stones that made the halls seem to stretch on forever in her mind. And the darkness made the entire place smell of decaying flesh and rotted fruit. The girl silently retched as the smell assaulted her over and over. _Ignore it, come on, just ignore it! _

Riaxdan turned the corner and bumped into her. She yelped and blushed a deep red as she fell onto the stone floor, dirt clinging to her clothes where they touched the floor. He helped her to her feet in an instant. "I'm sorry, Alecia. I was just coming to get you, actually."

She didn't try to hide the irritation he caused her, instead letting it all drip from her tongue, much like her father. "You idiotic gorilla! Why don't you be more careful? What would my father say if I were seriously hurt?" His deep, controlled voice had always annoyed her above all else. "Forget it! Can I leave yet? I'm bored here. No one is interesting to me. I'm tired of you old men and your moronic plan."

Riaxdan turned away from the girl. He couldn't strike her, but he still found resisting the impulse an extreme inconvenience, and even considered just causing a nearby vine to slap her. Still, facing death was not on his agenda if he was to succeed in his goals. And her father would kill him as punishment. Or worse. "Go talk to Shi. He has requested your company."

"You mean Master Shi, don't you?" She asked, confused. He had always been the formal servant, practically a butler. And at times her nanny. An extremely large, buff, irritable nanny, but a nanny nonetheless. She had caused him plenty of trouble in the past, too, and he would always want revenge. Not that Alecia realized this second bit.

His first response was laughter, shocking her. He had never laughed except when in battle. "That's right, you have yet to be informed. I am Shi's personal guardian now. His equal in command…"

"But not in battle!" She shouted viciously. She had inherited Shi's talent at getting under people's skin, though hers had come with a bit of practice while her fathr could almost see the buttons he had to push. Only a few people had ever beat him in annoying him before he could them.

Riaxdan displayed the only emotion he felt around this teenager: irritation. "Shi wishes to speak with you. NOW! I do NOT suggest making him wait much longer. His patience grows thin!" Alecia began to walk down another hall, towards Shi's chamber. "As does mine," Riaxdan muttered to himself before following slowly, letting thoughts of fighting certain Keybearers fill his mind.

Alecia entered the room without bothering to knock, but Shi's cold eyes were locked on the door the moment it moved. "Ah, Alecia, you made it here quicker than I had anticipated. Were you walking around the castle again? I warned you, that could be dangerous…with the many powerful men coming and going."

She laughed at the fake concern. "As if you don't know everything that happens inside these walls, controlling it as you see fit? Now, when can I leave? I'm in need of some new scenery. These...current living arrangements are not suiting me."

Shi smiled. _So like me. I've done good with this one. Mostly. Shame, really… _"One assignment. Then you are free to travel for awhile. How does that sound?"

"Coming from you? Like I'll probably die before this mission is over. But I guess it wouldn't be the first time you sent me to die. I'm sure I'll figure something out. Always do."

His smile widened. "All you have to do is travel to the World That Never Was. Introduce my darkness to the world, and I shall handle the rest myself. Now go!" He shouted, annoyance growing steadily as time stretched out.

Alecia picked up on this and began backing out of the room. "Thank you father," she said politely. Riaxdan stepped in, and they once again bumped into each other. She turned angrily, opening her mouth to shout how incompetent he was, but decided against it. She settled for a quick roll of her bright green eyes and shoving past the mountain of a man.

As she exited, Riaxdan asked the question that was burning in the pit of his stomach. "Why send her first, Shi? I thought…"

"Unfortunately, what I plan to do may swallow up all of the darkness that is on that world."

"So, you'll sacrifice your only child?" Riaxdan asked, appalled. "For power?"

Shi's laughter disturbed Riaxdan. "Why not, brother? Her mother was the final soul I destroyed to attain my blade. Now she can serve a similar purpose."

* * *

Mickey sat alone inside the Gummi Ship they had piloted to the islands, waiting for the link to connect fully. When it finally did, Chip and Dale's furry faces appeared. They saluted and said in unison "Evening, Your Majesty!"

"Boys, prepare the hangar for our arrival in a day. But first, go get the queen…"

They saluted once more and ran off. Moments later, Minnie sat in front of the monitor, a smile on her tired face. She rubbed her eyes softly, causing a slight smile to break across Mickey's face. "Mickey, dear, are you okay?" She asked quietly, knowing he only called whenever he was extremely stressed.

"I'm fine, Minnie. I just wish I could have brought you with me. Or that I could rest awhile. I'm not as young as I was before these adventures started. But I'm not too old to be undergoing them, either. I…I've been considering finding someone to fill in for my traveling jobs," he explained, waiting for her reaction.

"Why? I thought you loved traveling the worlds…"

Mickey smiled. "I do, but I want to travel them with you. I want you by my side again."

Minnie clapped her hands together happily. "Oh, that does sound wonderful! And you know how I want to meet each Princess of Heart."

"Then it's settled. After this, I'll find someone to travel formally for us, watching over the worlds. How does that sound?"

"Absolutely perfect!"

"Just like you," the King said, his eyes shining with the love that helped him through the dark nights of his previous endeavors.

* * *

Awww fluff. Yeah, so guesses on the replacement? NO, NO, NO, NO, NONONONONONO! You're wrong. Maybe..

Don't count on me being that predictable, geesh. Anyways, bringing in some minor powers next chapter.

Ten Voices: Release us!

Hold on, hold on. Geesh...

Edited! Not many changes, though. And hey, you who read but do not review, come on! I can get so much better if you guys tell me what i do right and wrong!


	7. Chapter 6: New Allies

Okay, a late update since my deadline was noon. But that's okay. After this chapter, we can get through the last bit before the main storyline. WOOHOO! Now, here to do the disclaimer, KAIRI!

Kairi: ...I'm still mad about Riku and Sora fighting.

Yeah, but if you don't do the disclaimer, then I'll kill off your friends. Yes, i'm as heartless as Shi can be.

Kairi: ...fine. FaNgEd Death does not own Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix, or Disney. He does own the OCs.

Thank you. But they still could die. Anyone can.

* * *

_The Heartless and Nobodies collided against each other, battling for the castle. She felt magnificent battling among them, taking out Nobody after Nobody with a swipe of her staff or a blast of her green and black fire. She fought hard alongside Pete, her loyal, though unreliable, servant. The battle seemed almost one sided against them, as Heartless after Heartless was vanquished by the superior Dusks. But she knew why they would overtake the castle. She knew that, due to the Keybrat, the master of the castle would soon fall. And when he did, she would be able to defeat the masterless Nobodies._

Maleficent laughed at the memory of how she had taken this castle as she sat on the highest throne, formerly belonging to Xemnas himself. She may have had to force Pete to rebuild large chunks of it by himself, but it was certainly worth the work. As for Pete, he sat on the lowest throne, constantly awaiting orders. He knew he couldn't afford to be disobedient, or he would become a Heartless. If he would be honest with himself, he could admit that he should have been made one long before now.

Suddenlt, Maleficent's laughter faded. Something was disturbing her castle. "Pete," Maleficent said, her voice booming, breaking into his thoughts. "There is a presence in the castle destroying my Heartless. Do take care of it. Or else."

* * *

Pete sat back as the young girl destroyed Heartless relentlessly. She tore through them with little effort, wielding a whip that could, at times, extend to over seven feet in length. Her style was extremely different when compared to the Keybrat's own battle style. She was more graceful, almost dancing among her enemies, cutting them to ribbons from a distance.

Her slim figure was no taller than five foot two inches, but she was agile. She dodged past the fireball of a Bookmaster and, with a flick of her wrist, cut it and its large spell book clean in two. After that, she cut through the midsection of three Large Bodies and a Soldier. Nothing could get in close enough to hurt her.

"What are you doing here, brat?" Pete shouted as he jumped down from where he had been watching. Without waiting for an answer, he rolled three bombs her way, as if they were bowling balls. Unfortunately, she was the pin. She changed that quickly, knocking them towards Heartless with her whip.

"Orders," Alecia said coldly before throwing a vial of dark blood-like ooze into the belly of a Large Body. The Heartless inflated like a balloon, absorbing others into it. If it wasn't for he large bulk, Pete probably would have gotten sucked in as well. After a few seconds, the mass of Heartless exploded into a cloud of darkness. When it cleared, Alecia was gone.

Shi stood in her place.

* * *

Maleficent felt the presence disappear from her castle. _Well, _she thought, _the fool managed to do something right for a change._ Then a darker presence appeared in the same spot. And seconds later, it was walking into the throne room. It felt similar to a man, but so much darker and more powerful. "Who are you to invade my castle?" She bellowed to him.

He bowed. "I am the darkest heart in the darkness. I have come simply to help you, Queen of the Castle. You are Lady Maleficent, are you not? I must say, regardless of who you are, I like what has been done with this place. Xemnas kept it so clean and tidy. Unfitting beings who shy from the light, such as the Heartless."

She smiled. "Quite an enchanter, aren't you? Stand, Darkness, and tell me your name."

"I am Shi. Shi of the Darkest Death. You have twelve silhouettes that I wish to remove from this place. I believe you know the ones. Afterwards, I'll leave you to whatever it is you are planning. Though I have no doubt our paths will cross again." He spoke slowly as he stood to his full height.

Fire engulfed him suddenly, glowing green embers around cores of black enveloping his entire body. "Why would I allow you to remove those beings? They would come after me, given the chance! They would want to take back what I have taken from them!"

Shi's maniacal laughter filled the room as he stepped through Maleficent's flames. A few stuck to his shoulder, but he brushed them off without the faintest flicker of pain. "Because I shall control them. They will join the ranks of my lap dogs. Another section of my Hell Hounds. And your cooperation will ensure that you do not join them against your wishes."

Maleficent's smile withered away, like a flower touched by the darkness. The little color in her cheeks drained out, leaving her somewhat more pale. Her expression amused Shi even more than annoying Riaxdan or his daughter. He summoned Accelerating Darkness as he awaited her response. "Fine!" She shouted at the man of darkness. "Take their ghouls and leave my palace. IT SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED AGAIN!"

"Thank you, my lady." He flourished his blade before he drove it into the ground. Dark slime oozed from the point of contact, spreading like wildfire to cover the entire floor. After a few minutes, it began to come together, congealing into ten human like forms. "Now who else would be missing? Roxas, of course. Axel…and Xemnas as well? Shame," he muttered to himself, then turning towards Maleficent. "Now, as promised, we shall take our leave. Nobodies, if you wish for greater power, you will step through the corridor I provide for you." As he said this, a corridor opened up a foot to his left. The remnants of Organization XIII stepped through wordlessly, a few examining Shi before taking the final step. Only one stood his ground. Xigbar.

"Ya know, this is an awfully nice castle. Why let it go to waste with her?" He asked, nodding his head towards the now anxious witch.

"I keep my deals. Come, Xigbar. Greater things await us. Power. Enough to help you become your complete self, if you so choose. Or…I can kill you again."

"Alright, alright, chill out." He stepped through the corridor, Shi a step behind him.

His final words were "If you ever decide you want to join us, I'll be listening."

After he left, Maleficent sank into deep thought. "Pete, perhaps we should change our plans for the future. A powerful ally has just made itself present."

* * *

Yeah, I hope you didn't expect new allies for Riku and them. This will get very messy...

Oh well. More later tonight! Read and Review please. I can always use the help, or just read your thoughts.


	8. Chapter 7: Lighten Up

Well, one step closer to the real deal. Yes, I know it's taking awhile to get there. But, too bad! You only have to suffer through this chapter and one more, I promise you that. Unless you enjoy these chapters, and I hope you do. Now then. Who should do the disclaimer?

Mickey: I'll do it. Riaxdan does not own Kingdom Hearts or its affiliates. He owns OCs, however, and they are a major pain in my side.

Sorry, Your Majesty. It's okay, though. It'll all be okay...

* * *

Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie came to the island an hour before Riku and the rest were to leave for Yevon knew how long. "Wow, you guys are leaving again? Without telling anybody?" Wakka asked, sad to be losing the trio once more.

"Well, we go missing all the time," Riku said with a shrug. "Not like anybody, even you guys, will be able to follow us where we are going. Hell, we don't even know where all we will be going. Or if we will make it back…"

The group grew silent after that, only for Sora to break the silence with his usual optimism. "Maybe we don't know where we are going, but I'm sure we'll make it in the end. We always do." Kairi laid down beside him in the sand, putting a smile on both of their young faces. Riku knew they were solely focused on not parting. _Meaning all the real work will be on me. _

"Well, I'm gonna train hard while your gone. And when you get back, I'll have become the strongest person on the islands!" Tidus said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, until they get back!" Wakka teased, and laughter was shared amongst the friends.

Tidus ignored the laughter, though. "Riku, when you make it back, we'll fight to see who is head of this island!" He laughed at the bemused look on the his chosen rival's face. "You'll see!"

"It'll be so different without you three," Selphie whispered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes as the words passed her lips. "I mean…like it was a few weeks ago..." She broke into tears after that, causing Kairi to jump over her boyfriend and hug her.

"I'm glad we're leaving. Finally gives me a chance to explore to my heart's content…" Rikumuttered, still slightly bitter that he hadn't really explored as much as he liked, unlike his best friend.

Sora nudged him with his foot. When he glanced back, Sora mouthed "Lighten up." He just responded with a shake of his head, waving his silvery hair back and forth.

"Enjoy the last island sunset you'll see until you get back, you three. It's always so beautiful…" Selphie said as she calmed down.

"Kairi is even more beautiful," Sora stated without hesitation. Tidus and Wakka fell on him like hyenas, teasing him mercilessly. Rikujust smirked as he usually did, leaving his friend to be picked on.

The sun disappeared behind the waves slowly before the six teenagers split into their individual groups of three. Goodbyes were short and quick between the guys. Wakka and Tidus said they would be sure to give Riku a challenge when he returned. Selphie and Kairi each began to cry as they said goodbye to each other. "They sure did become close…" Sora whispered to Riku, who nodded his agreement. _Not surprised, she needed an actual girl for friend eventually..._

After the others left, Mickey came to collect the Keybearers. "We will go to Disney Castle for a short time. There, I will divide us up into the separate parties and we will set out in new Gummi Ships. After that, just follow your hearts and help where you can. It is no longer a time for secrets. If you happen to find anything on Shi or his whereabouts, or anything else, contact me. Goofy and Donald will pull us up any second now..."

As if they were waiting for that cue, the forementioned duo flew overhead and transported the four people inside the ship. Riku looked out at Destiny Islands with his two love struck companions. The adventure was finally about to begin. He didn't want to wait another second, but a part of him already missed his home.

* * *

With the Gummi Ship's enhanced warp drive (apparently, Cid had some time to modify gummi blocks and send them via transport ship to Chip and Dale), the trip took only two hours to complete. During that time, Riku learned everything he could about piloting the crafts alone from Donald. Sora and Kairi spent time talking with Mickey, probably trying to convince him not to separate them, though the aqua eyed bachelor had a sneaking suspicion he knew what the King had decided.

Finally, they landed inside the Gummi Hangar, hidden below the garden sitting inside the palace walls. The sound the gears made as they constantly turned seemed to slightly annoy Donald more than Riku had during the journey. He stormed up the curved stairway the moment he left the ship, probably off to see Daisy. Goofy trotted after him as a few knights shouted about his return.

"Hiya!" Two voices rang throughout the room. The two newcomers looked around for the source of the voices, but they didn't see anyone. They looked at their old friend, confused, but he just stood there, laughing at their expressions. "Down here!" Riku looked down and noticed two furry chipmunks waving. Kairi smiled when she saw them, extending her arm for them to climb up and talk at face level. "Thank ya, ma'am!"

"My name is Kairi. And that is Riku," she said softly, her smile sweet and gentle. A certain boy in the room smiled to himself as his stomach did flips and his heart warmed.

"Oh, so you're the Kairi that Sora always went on and on about! My name is Chip."

"And I'm Dale!"

"And we're the guys who put together the Gummi Ships!" They shouted together. Kairi was smiling at a blushing Sora, who turned to look at the Gummi Ship they had rode in on. He didn't notice the love in her eyes, or the slight reddening of her own cheeks.

Riku merely said "hey" before turning and following Donald outside. The moon hung over the garden as he stepped out, bathing it and him in a soft, comforting light. The shaped bushes and blooming flowers gave Riku a sense of peace that he found serene, given the fact he was about to enter a huge battle for the sake of the worlds. _Even in times like these…there are places like this, where no darkness could ever touch or damage the beauty held here._

"Riku…can we talk? It's been awhile since you and I have…" a voice asked from behind him. He recognized it immediately.

He laid down under the sky. "Sure, Kairi. But the sand beats laying in the grass, so I don't recommend it," he said as he sat back up and scratched his shoulder. Kairi sat next to him, a slight smile on her face.

"You have seemed so distant since me and Sora started dating…you don't spend any time around us anymore. Sora and I miss having you around. We miss the old times, ya know?"

"I just…didn't wanna be in the way. Or get between you two somehow. You belong together. I can feel it. In my gut, and my heart. And I realize that, Wakka," the boy said with a laugh, glancing at his blushing friend.

"Me too," Kairi said, ignoring the jibe as best she could. "Just…Sora looks up to you for strength. You are one of his driving forces. Always competing with you and everything. You are like his older brother..."

"I know…and after this journey…I wanna find someone myself," Riku admitted and, to his disdain, Kairi giggled. "What?"

She pushed his shoulder playfully before she stood up. "I'm sure you can find someone, if you would just lighten up a little bit. Just…try being more easy-going. And the best first step is to forgive yourself, Riku. We did."

Riku laughed and laid back down. "Sure, me, lighten up and forgive myself. Real likely…" he muttered as Kairiwalked inside the castle to find her boyfriend.

After laying under the stars for over an hour, heheard soft footsteps approaching. "Riku! There you are. Come on, let's go inside," Mickey said as he spotted the teenager. "It's late."

Riku sat up with a sigh, his eyes stuck on the stars above him, hanging like diamonds, waiting to be reached. And maybe out there was someone for him. He scoffed at this thought and shook his head. "I wanna travel to each of them and explore forever. Maybe visit the islands sometime in between…" Riku listened to the rustle of fabric as the King sat down beside him.

"Riku…do you hate being on the islands?"

"No, but I feel like I'm too young to stay there just yet. Eventually, I would want to return and settle down…"

"Maybe start a family?" Mickey added. Riku shut his mouth, embarrassed he had admitted so much already. "Come on, Riku, inside. And by the way," His Highness added as he stood up, "I didn't think I'd find anyone, till I found Minnie. Don't give up."

Riku stood beside his large-eared friend. "Yeah, okay," he replied, wondering if Mickey intended to have children. They walked inside quickly, keeping the chatting to a minimum. The younger Keybearer found himself speechless when he saw the long hallway leading to the King's study. _It looks way longer than the beach on our island! _They proceeded casually until they reached the doors to the study.

Mickey opened them silently, revealing the well lit room. Riku noticed the warped fireplace and the shelves of books that made up multiple sections of the walls. The study might have doubled as a small private library. "Read enough, Your Majesty?" He asked cheekily, then laughed, still shocked.

"You can never be too well-read when part of your business is inter-planetary travel. Now, Riku, this…" Mickey grabbed the hand of a mouse Riku had yet to notice. "This is the queen, Minnie Mouse. Minnie, this is Riku, the youth I traveled alongside for awhile."

Minnie, who was wearing a navy blue dress and regal crown, greeted Riku. He got on one knee and bowed his head respectively before his close friend's beloved. Minnie smiled at the sight. "You're right, Mickey, he is quite the young man. Please, stand Riku. Mickey spoke of you in his letters, and I am glad we have finally met face to face."

He did as he was asked before responding. "And he talked of you whenever I would ask about his life, Your Majesty. He seems to be quite smitten, even after your time together. I'm very happy for you two."

Minnie giggled. "Oh, please call me Minnie. If you can address the King by his first name, then saying mine means no disrespect. And did he now?" She eyed her royal love with happiness and affection.

"Of course not, Your Maje…I mean, Minnie," he responded quickly. "And yes he did, the love struck fool," he added jokingly. Mickey began laughing as he sat in his chair. Pluto trotted over and sat beside his master, who scratched behind his ears just the way he liked.

"Riku…I've decided the groups. Two groups will travel, one will stay behind to guard the castle. You, of course, are your own group, unless you wanted to change that?" Mickey barely paused before realizing how unlikely that was and pressing on. "Just be careful. As for the other…I've decided I should be the one to travel alongside Sora. Donald and Goofy can watch over things here, just in case, and during their time here they can train Kairi. We may need her before the final battle, especially if the worst happens and something...befell one of us. I wanted to tell you privately, in case you wanted to leave now. Chip and Dale built a Gummi Ship that can be piloted alone, or carry up to three people. Just in case you have need of transporting someone..."

"NO!" Riku shouted unexpectedly as he realized that would mean not saying goodbye to his best frineds. "I want to stay tonight, so that I can say goodbye to the others…" he explained, hoping he hadn't disrespected his friend with his outburst.

Mickey nodded, having already figured this to be the case. In fact, he had told Chip and Dale to go ahead and leave the Hanger and sleep in their chambers, having worked hard to build another ship on short notice. "Okay. We all leave tomorrow then. Go rest up. Follow the broom, it knows where your room is. It'll guide you tomorrow as well...and Riku, I understand completely," the Mouse King added, clearing the youth's conscience.

"Goodnight Mickey, Minnie," he said, bowing before leaving the room.

"Goodnight," they chimed together.

Riku silently followed the walking broomstick, contemplating where he wanted to go first. He had a vague idea, but decided to focus on that in the morning. Three minutes later, Riku was in his own room. A fire was blazing in the corner fireplace as he collapsed onto the bed. Within a minute, he was asleep, journeying the worlds in his dreams. For awhile.

* * *

Hmmm. Perhaps I could have skipped big chunks of this chapter, but I don't think the story would be half as good for it. Oh well, you tell me. In a review. Come on people, I wanna hear **your** thoughts!

another edit! i'm rolling on till two in the morning. one or two more chapters if i keep reading Shire Folk's own fanfic lol


	9. Chapter 8: Departing Sorrows

This is it folks! After this, the story truly begins! Consider this the final cutscene before the game's first world. Enjoy!

Minnie: Riaxdan does not own Kingdom Hearts or the characters in it. He owns the OCs that shouldn't have ever existed.

Ooookkkkkaaaayyyyyy...guess another character is mad at me. Oh well, it'll get worse, I'm sure. I would know, wouldn't I?

_

* * *

_

Riku woke early the next morning. His dreams had been confusing after the inital one, ranging from fighting Xehanort's Heartless to people he couldn't even remember meeting. This final dream disturbed him more, because the three people had been holding his, Sora's, and Mickey's Keyblades. They wore ornately decorated armor that covered their entire bodies, including their faces. One held another Keyblade that he had never seen before, and he was the largest of the three people.

_Could it have been…me, Kairi, and Sora? Or were they entirely different people? And how do they fit into all of this if they are different people? _

His thoughts were cut short when the broomstick tumbled him from bed. He fell heavily onto the floor, the sheet from the bed becoming entangled with his limbs as he let out a surprised shout. "Okay, guess I'm awake now..." he muttered to himself. A slight knock on the door was his only warning before it creaked open. Kairi and Sora peeked in together, beaming at their friend. "Ya mind helping?" He asked as he fought his way out of the bed sheet. They just sat back and giggled as they enjoyed the show.

After a minute of struggling, he managed to free himself and stood up. He reached for a plain black shirt and tugged it on before turning back to his friends. "So, shall we go find someone to guide us?" He asked, pointing at the annoyed broomstick making the bed. "He looks a little busy, after all." The others agreed, and they left the room, bumping into each other and laughing quietly.

As they turned a corner, Sora bumped into a large, gangly figure. Both he and the figure fell back with a grunt before noticing each other. "Heya guys!" Goofy exclaimed. "You gotta be getting kinda hungry, huh? Are ya lookin' for the dining room?"

Sora's stomach growled at the prospect of food, causing Riku and Kairi to smile as their stomachs joined in the rumbling. "Yeah, I think we could use some breakfast," Sora said quickly, a broad smile plastered on his face.

* * *

After a large breakfast with everybody, including Daisy, who Donald seemed extremely happy to be around, Riku returned to his room alone. He walked in and pulled out a small pouch he had hidden on his person before they left the islands. When he unzipped it, he pulled out two pictures. One was an older picture, taken soon after Kairi arrived on the islands. She stood between Sora and Riku, both holding their wooden swords proudly. He tucked this one back in the small pouch before taking out the other. In this picture, he was standing against the paopu tree, and Sora and Kairi were holding hands sitting on the bent side of it. He remembered Selphie volunteering to take this second picture for them when they first hung out early the day before.

"We'll miss you, too, Riku…" Kairi's soft voice whispered as she silently stepped into the doorway.

"You two weren't supposed to see this. Sora?" The embarrassed teenager had a request in his mind.

"Yeah, Riku?"

"Next time, we all go together. Just us three. Okay?" He asked, turning to see them both nod. "Good."

Mickey walked into the room, dressed in his regular clothes and ready to leave. Riku noticed that Sora refused to look at the small mouse king. "Time for us to go," Mickey announced. "Sora, I'm sincerely sorry. I just think it's the best way for things to work."

"He'll come after you, Sora. He probably knows you were the key to defeating Xehanort, as a Heartless and a Nobody. Mickey can protect you better than anyone else. And if something happens…you two can close the final door again. Besides, Kairi would just cause you problems. No offense," he added to her, his aqua eyes locking onto hers for a moment, "but you wouldn't focus on the enemy. And if you don't focus on the enemy, then you can't fight them. You'll both be safer this way."

"Sora…" Kairi began, startling everyone. Tears were running down her cheeks, but she wiped them away before continuing. "I should stay behind. That Cornerstone thing is here, right? And Donald and Goofy? So, I'll be well protected. And next time, I'll be able to protect myself, and we can all travel together. Please...be strong for me."

"Donald and Goofy may not be the brightest, but they are some of the strongest. She'll be fine here, where she can learn and practice. I already got Donald to agree to teach her magic…" Riku pitched in once again.

"Okay, okay…" Sora replied, giving up the argument before it started, though the pain of parting with kairi already made his voice hollow.

Mickey looked at the ground and sighed. "Follow me to the hanger, Riku. Sora, get ready for departure."

"Wait," Kairi yelled, hugging Riku tight. "Don't forget to say goodbye to us!" She kissed his cheek.

"Bye Kairi…bye Sora…" Sora just nodded in response, still clearly upset that he would once again be separated from his friends, especially his special princess. Riku turned and followed the King out of the room. They walked quietly and quickly until they reached the garden.

"We'll part here, then. Goodbye, Riku. Take care and keep in contact. I'll send you a message if we find anything out, or when i decide we should meet and discuss things, depending on how well things go."

"Goodbye, Mickey." Riku said simply before entering the Gummi Hanger. He quickly ran down the steps, stopping when he spotted Chip and Dale sitting beside a small Gummi Ship. It was sleek and colored silver, with two small, unmanned ships sitting beside it. The two smaller ships were black, but one had white angel wings and the other had black and red bat wings, matching the wings on _Way to Dawn_.

"Well, the only thing it is missing is a name," Chip announced.

Riku thought for a second before blurting out "Twilight Crosser!" Chip and Dale both looked at him oddly for a second. "I have no clue where that came from," he explained.

"Well, it's official. Prepare for takeoff!" Dale ordered. Riku stepped into the ship as Chip punched in some codes on a nearby computer. He strapped himself in and his hands instinctually sat on the controls lightly, making slight adjustments here and there. "3...2...1...DROP!" The floor below slid away and the ship entered a freefall. Riku calmly waited until he fell into the tunnel, then he took off with ease, leaving Disney castle behind. After a minute he punched in some coordinates from a star map and entered warp drive.

__

Now,

he thought_, _

_my journey begins._

__

_

* * *

_

Yes, I know, why that name? Well, everything has a purpose, my readers. So sit back, and wait for the next chapter. Here is my hint for the world: It was pre-Castle Oblivion.

Read and review, seriously.

okay, this is edited too. and now, i'm taking a page out of Shire's book. If you can guess the world (and this one doesn't count) that will be next in the story, then i'll let you choose one character to add into my story. send a pm with your guess! or, better yet, review!


	10. Chapter 9: Jungle Cats

Back in action. Would have updated last night, but a storm passed through and I lost the next three chapters. Lucky I kept handwritten copies, right? Anyways, please enjoy this next chapter. The first world In Riku's short alone journey! But before that, the disclaimer!

Riku: Riaxdan does not own Kingdom Hearts or anything else he uses, except for OCs. God, you sure are slow at typing these chapters, man.

Shut up. Or else you won't enjoy the next chapters I type...

Riku: Sureeee... like you can type it by the end of the day.

You'll regret that, even if you are my favorite character...

* * *

As Riku came out of warp drive near his destination, he was faced with a gauntlet of enemy ships. Rows upon rows of Nobody ships were lined up before him, blocking him off from the world he had chosen to visit. As he slowed to a halt, a relatively easy task for his already masterful manipulation of the ship, a line of the enemies in front of him began to come straight at him. "Damn, for once, can't I just get a break from beating down Nobodies?"

He immediately began operating the two cannons and the extremely powerful railgun while the lasers automatically locked onto other ships. The cannons and railgun alone tore through between five and twelve ships at a time, depending on the accuracy of the railgun. The lasers took out another five and locked on again, ready for Riku to shoot them off. At first, this was enough to hold off the Nobody ships, but as more of them came his way, he began having trouble keeping up with his enemies.

A laser hit the side of Twilight Crosser, throwing it into a quick 180 spin, but Riku righted it only for a Nobody ship, almost like a bell he had seen his mother put on their front porch once, to close the gap between them and self-destruct. The ship was thrown again, but he had seen what had happened, and now a thought stuck him. _I can use that to my advantage! I can't believe I forgot those little bastards!_

He punched a command into a keyboard, causing the lasers to lock onto the Bomb Bells, and once locked, he let the lasers fly, blowing huge holes into the Nobody lines. After no more than fifteen minutes of this destruction, there was a big enough gap for Riku to punch through and fly down towards the world known as Deep Jungle.

* * *

He landed beside a large, beautiful waterfall, leaping out of his Gummi Ship, waiting for enemies to appear. As he looked around, he noticed a large, hairy paw, though he didn't know that's what it was at the moment, swinging towards his head. It caught him in the temple, nearly knocking him out and causing him to collapse into the pool behind him. The shock of the water kept him from unconsciousness, and his head shot back out. _Way to Dawn_ appeared in his hand as he stood up, only for him to notice that the animal was walking away. In its place was a man standing at possibly six feet tall, wearing nothing more than a loin cloth. He had long brown hair that was tangled around twigs, and the spear he held was topped with a jagged rock, tied on by a simple but strong string.

The man turned towards Riku as he chuckled at the sight. "I Tarzan. Area dangerous. You better off to leave. If animal come drink, other come hunt," Tarzan warned, examining the teenager with an obvious curiosity. Riku was surprised this man could speak English, even if it was equivalent to a five or six year old speaking. It was more than Sora said he could speak, at least.

The dazed teen shook his head before responding as his blade disappeared in a flash of light. "I can't leave. I'm Sora's friend. Do you know Sora?" He asked, hoping this was the jungle man he had heard about. If not, it could mean trouble for the young Keybearer, and he knew it.

But, Tarzan's eyes gleamed at the mention of Sora, and a slight smile crossed his face. "Sora…look hard for friends. You? And Kiri?"

"Kairi. And he found us, Now we are on a mission to protect the worlds. And I came here, hoping for…" Riku's mouth shut abruptly as he realized he had no real reason for coming here, other than a want to explore. Him being here for a reason would mean the world was in…

"Danger!" Tarzan yelled, as if reading Riku's own thoughts. "Something coming!" He crouched low to the ground like a leopard preparing to pounce on its pray. "Not belong here..."

As if that was its cue, a large panther-like beast jumped out of the trees directly at Riku. In the few seconds between noticing it and its apparent collision with him, he noticed some of its physical traits. It was entirely black, except for its large yellow eyes, its silver paws, and its long silver tail. The tail seemed to have a mind of its own, thrashing around madly, stretching to almost fifteen feet from the creature's back end to the spear like tip.

Tarzan saved Riku from that very tail, catching it against the wood of his own spear. The thing was extremely agile, though, wrapping its tail around the spear and tearing it from his grasp. The spear was flung over seven feet from that spot, landing uselessly, spear head buried in the ground. The ape man stood there, shocked, before leaping backwards out of range.

Riku showed his own agility, however, diving forward when the tail wrapped around the spear. Before the spear had planted itself into the ground, he had impaled the beast in the chest with his blade. It writhed for a few seconds before fading away into darkness.

"What beast that?" the jungle man asked his new battle partner.

"Well, it certainly wasn't enough to finish you two off by itself," a dark voice chimed from the bushes in front of them. Riku couldn't spot the source of the voice and before he could try finding it, three more of the same creatures jumped out of the bushes, each looking as viscious as the first one had. "Good thing it traveled in a pack! Now, have fun with them while I go find a certain young woman…I think she can lead me to the keyhole, Riku! Better catch up..."

Riku dashed at the 'panther' beast, eyes solely focused on the tail's movements. The tail lunged forward, but he dodged to the right, only to have his left leg caught in the mouth of the creature. Sharp, jagged teeth cut into his flesh, drawing blood in seconds. It let go and attempted to sink its teeth in Riku's throat, only for the Keybearer to whisper "_Dark Aura,_", which launched a volley of fireballs that slammed down its throat. It exploded in a mass of darkness, only for the next one to jump through the cloud and attack.

Tarzan had ran to his spear and was now locking up with one of the two remaining creatures on his own. His spear had nicked the thing in a few places, and he had managed to avoid its tail for the time being. The tide turned quickly as the tail wrapped around his arms and torso. It lifted him off of the ground before shaking the spear out of his grip, then pulled him close, prepared to devour him with its sharp teeth, perhaps ripping him into strips of flesh with its dagger-like claws first.

Riku, too, had locked up with the other being. He guessed it was a Twisted from its odd, combined scent of dead bodies and fruit. The tail had already cut him in several places, including one gash across his cheek that had copious amounts of blood oozing out, much to his surprise. _Way to Dawn_ had been caught in its mouth, as well as his right hand. Its razor-like teeth were cutting into his wrist, drawing even more blood. A pained grunt passed his lips as he tried to pull his hand out of the mouth of the beast, only causing it to tear more of his flesh. _DAMMIT, LET GO OF MY ARM! _

He mentally slapped his forehead as _Dark Fira _flared to life around his hand once more. With his casual smirk, he pushed his hand deeper and blasted the fire down into the belly of the beast. A hole roughly the size of a fist appeared in its stomach before it faded away. Riku turned towards Tarzan, ready to help him, when the jungle man made his move. His legs stretched until his toes curled around the wood of his spear. With careful movement, he aimed the spear at his captor's head. After another second to check his aim, he jabbed through its head, slaying the creature in one powerful strike. Of course, this caused him to fall to the ground, dropping uncomfortably onto his back.

"You okay?" Riku asked with a grin as a potion handled his own wounds.

Tarzan sat up slowly. "I alright. Been worse. Come. We go, find Jane. Danger gone now."

Riku grimaced and helped Tarzan back onto his feet. "I'm sure it will return soon…" he muttered under his breath as Tarzan took off for the trees and vines.

* * *

Tarzan led Riku through the trees, swinging on vines and climbing with a level of agility that shocked Riku. He knew that Tarzan was a man among the apes, but he didn't expect him to be as coordinated as one, nor as graceful as a monkey on the vines. Of course, in just a few tries, Riku had begun to swing on the vines as easily as Sora, but Tarzan could do it with a certain power that no normal man could ever match.

"How did you get so good at swinging?" Riku asked as his hands wrapped around another vine. His wrist had started to ache, but he ignored the dull throbbing pain, instead focusing on the man he had just fought beside. He saw a few scars on the man's back and some sort of beetle on his neck, then looked ahead just in time to avoid grabbing a snake.

"When I younger, parents killed. Gorillas find and raise me like them. I learn climb, swing, and talk like them."

"So, how did you learn English?"

A smile flashed across Tarzan's face as a certain English woman came to mind. "Jane teach me way of real people. She live in home of me as child. Her dad there too. He man of science." The twinkle in his eyes gave Riku a slight, unidentifiable pain in his chest, similar to the one he felt whenever he was near Sora and Kairi. At the mention of Jane's father, Riku remembered another scientist and chose to focus on him instead of his feelings.

DiZ, rightfully known as Ansem the Wise. Science had cost him his life. The science of something capable of creating multiple anomalies: the heart. Words from a conversation between them echoed in his mind. He remembered asking why Ansem was so fascinated by the heart, and the reply he had received. '_Even though I can turn a heart into data, I cannot predict what the repercussions of that action would be. Nor can I predict what that data will do on its own. Just like people, a heart's next action can never be predicted with accuracy. Those who try are usually wrong. Fatally so, in some cases._'

He thought of the truth in those words in Ansem's own case. The action he took that accidentally returned Riku to his body and nearly completely severed his ties to the darkness also caused Ansem to disappear. _I wonder if he is even alive…_

An hour later, the duo approached the entrance to a mansion-sized tree house. Riku felt close to the man among apes, and after their conversations, was sure he could rely on him as an ally. They entered the large main room and immediately spotted a small man in yellow pants and a slightly faded white button up shirt. He apparently heard them enter, because he started to speak. "Ah, Tarzan, my boy, glad you're back. I was wondering if we could collect a few herbs from the jungle, for an experiment of mine. I'm trying to come up with a formula for a natural and tasty jungle tea, you see." He turned around and immediately spotted Riku. "Ah, you must be new to the jungle. And judging by your attire, you must be connected to that boy from…well it must have been a year ago, now…"

Riku extended his hand, which the man shook quickly. "My name is Riku, and yeah, I'm Sora's friend."

"Riku, you say? As, yes, I remember! Well, I'm Jane's father…"

"Professor," Tarzan cut in, looking outside to the large expanse of jungle. "Where Jane?"

"Oh, I believe she is off picking fruit somewhere. She has been gone for an awfully long while, perhaps you could go find her?" The Professor asked as he turned back to his experiment. "Not that I'm worried, having that man say he would watch over her," he added as he crushed something in a bowl.

Riku looked at the Professor before spinning him around and shaking him by the shoulders. "WHAT MAN?" He shouted, suddenly worried for Jane Porter's life, as well as the life of the entire world.

"Ju…just a man…quit shaking me, boy, please!" Riku let go and he stood up straight. "Now, it was man in a black cloak. I saw his face, he was NOT a Heartless, though his choice of dress was rather odd in such an environment."

Riku's face drained of color. "No, it was much worse. That was a Nobody. They are way more dangerous than Heartless. We have to go find her!"

Tarzan turned, and without saying a word, ran out of the room, back towards the jungle.

* * *

Yes, that is how this chapter will end. Don't worry, the next one has someone entirely new. And points to all those who guessed the world, though I doubt any of you tried or cared where it was, you were just waiting for me to get there already. Anyways, I'll go type the next chapter...again. Read AND review people. I'm begging ya!

Riku: So, you'll update in another two or three...or four or five...weeks?

Just because you are my favorite character doesn't mean you will never die. I mean it when I say no one will be safe. This game is too childish. I'm forcing it to a new level of maturatity, as others before me already did.

Riku: Whatever you say.

Anyways, edited this and i am done. see you in two weeks!


	11. Chapter 10: Rumble in the Jungle

While doing my editing and after a certain review mentioning the rather unorthodox way I had split these up, I decided to once again recombine these formerly two chapters into one. Hope you enjoy the OC introduced. The inspiration was the only person I know more sick and twisted in the head than me. I have weird friends…

Tarzan, do the disclaimer, please.

Tarzan: Riaxdan not own Heart of Kingdom. He own thing called OC.

Thanks. Hasn't his English improved? I didn't think I'd make it flow smooth just yet, though. Broken English is just more interesting to type.

* * *

Riku and Tarzan ran long and hard, delving deeper into the jungle. Riku was unsure of where they were going, but he followed the jungle man without question. A scream cut through the silence, coming from directly in front of them. As it faded, a familiar scent assaulted Riku's dark senses. _RIAXDAN! _he screamed in his mind._ Well, this time, he won't get away without a few scars to remember me by!_

The youth pulled ahead of his partner, determined to find Jane and kill Riaxdan before anything could happen to her. As they cut through a cluster of trees, he saw a woman lying unconscious on the ground, her chest barely moving to show a sign of life. But, she was still breathing. A slight gash was on her lower leg, and it looked like it would get infected soon. Tarzan ran over and scooped her into his arms with a gentle touch, before holding her protectively close and trying to wake her.

"Admirable tracking skills, Riku," the voice from earlier said. It seemed as if the voice was snaking through the trees all around them before spilling into his ears. There was no way to follow the voice back to its owner.

"Tarzan, take her and get out of here! Tell her father that she needs antibiotics, or she won't make it out here!" Riku exclaimed, summoning _Way to Dawn_ once more. "I'll hold him off…"

Tarzan didn't bother to respond, merely nodding before turning and running fast and hard, solely focused on protecting Jane. _Reminds me of Sora…_

"I didn't take you as the type to choose to die alone…it's odd. I mean, being wrong, even if it is rare, is odd…"

"I'm not planning on dying, so you are mistaken there, too. Do you plan to die? Or is that why you continue to hide from my sight?" he spat, gazing around the area for any sign of his opponent. "You don't sound like Riaxdan, but you smell identical. Care to explain?"

A man stepped forward, almost seeming to materialize out of thin air. He unsheathed a two foot katana, pointing it at Riku's throat. The Keybearer noticed that he was shorter than Riaxdan by at least four inches, as well as being much thinner, though that didn't mean he was less powerful. After all, Sora was smaller than either man, but he was tough in his own right. The man pulled back his hood, revealing blond hair on a head that was shaved near the point of baldness, and a set of deep green eyes that seemed filled with need. Riku ignored this, knowing that it was fake, no matter what the need in his eyes was for. "Oh, I'm not dying anytime soon, kid. I kind of already did, didn't I? And no, I'm not Riaxdan, am I? Thankfully. But I am similar. So similar," he took a deep breathe, "I even smell the same. Tell you what, Riku, since I like your cocky attitude, if you can beat my Twisted pals like earlier, I'll tell you why I am so similar. I know you're dying to know. Well, you will be dying to know. Deal?" He asked confidently, extending his empty left hand as he left emphasis on the word dying.

Riku got into his battle stance, ignoring the Nobody's hand entirely. "Deal."

With a wicked grin, the man disappeared into the trees once more. In his place were four of the Twisted from earlier. They were all identical, down to the very markings Riku now noticed ran along there back, almost as if they had a mane that was missing. "Nanakis, attack!"

The Nanakis leapt forward as one unit, tails and claws coming from every direction. Their agility was no different than before, and within the first minute, Riku had three deep gashes running down his back and a cut on his left arm. The tails were used more than anything, allowing them to keep their distance from him while still being able to kill him. He found himself trapped in a tight circle formed by the Nanakis and their tails, and with nowhere to turn to, he relied on his darkness. "_Dark Aura!_" he shouted raising his hand before a volley of fireballs passed through. A second later a single _Dark Slash_flared to life along his blade. It quickly moved into and through the tail of one of the Twisted, cutting it clean off as the others leapt away from the fiery projectiles of the first attack.

Riku saw that the tail had a small, handle-like protrusion sticking out of the end of it, and he dashed forward, catching it in his left hand. He spun past the tail of another and threw his left arm forward as if the tail was a whip. It quickly extended to its full length before splitting the head of another Nanaki in two, a sight the outnumbered warrior was glad to see. As that one faded, the now tailless Twisted dashed forward, growling. It leapt into the air, only for Riku to dash underneath it, dragging _Way to Dawn_ against its smooth stomach, slicing it open as well. The whip-like tail now faded away with its other half, disappearing from his hand. As he covered this hand in _Dark Fira_and blasted it at one Nanaki, the other ran up behind him. He had been keeping track of its scent, though, and did a single, rather impressive backflip over it, throwing down a volley of _Dark Fira_ like a live grenade. It blasted the beast clean in half, and if it had any guts to have blown out, they would have splattered against the ground and the beast's killer.

Now he faced off against the single remaining Nanaki, _Way to Dawn_ ready in his chosen hand. It howled, the sound somewhere between a lion's roar and a wolf's true howl, before charging directly at him, apparently no longer rational. As it charged, a spear flew through the air and cleaved it completely in half, before embedding itself in a tree just six feet away. Tarzan ran up behind the shocked but joyous teenager and smiled at him. "Jane safe. Friends take her back now. I help here."

Riku smiled. "Thanks. Who is taking…"

"How touching, your friend came back. Makes me sick, really. But, a deal is a deal, I guess," the Nobody cut in, returning to the area. He seemed to once again materialize out of thin air, as if he had been there the entire time.

Riku's attention was immediately turned back towards the new Nobody, remembering his every feature so that he could relay it back to the King later. "That's right, so tell me what I want to know. Then we'll kill you," he added smugly, newfound confidence rolling from him now that Tarzan had arrived.

The cloaked man grinned. "Oh, you are fiery and battle driven. Must be the adrenaline. It will be fun to kill you in a few minutes. Anyways, I should introduce myself before anything else. My name is Knixc. You mistook me for Riaxdan because…well, when a being takes multiple hearts, all Nobodies created have scents similar to that being. Although, we all smell like death, there would be slight differences. I'm sure you would notice them if you would focus more. But, those differences are undetectable between creator and created. So if I say, take your heart and your ape ally's, you two would smell identical to me. Understand, young fool?" Knixc explained.

"So, do you smell like Riaxdan, or something else?" Riku asked, hoping to draw him into more detail.

Knixc merely laughed and drew his katana once again. "Oh, I can't tell you that, now can I? Unless…you 'kill' me. Then I will whisper that secret into your ear as I fade away into nothingness. Quite the dramatic moment that would be, eh?"

Shock flicked over Knixc's face as _Dark Fira_, quickly followed by a _Dark Slash_, crashed into him, throwing him onto his back. When he stood up, he grinned and drew a second identical katana as Riku stood ready to battle and Tarzan pulled his spear from the tree.

The three men formed a triangle, both Tarzan and Riku preparing to face off against the Nanaki Master. They knew to be careful, unsure of what Knixc might have in store for the two of them. The one thing he was sure of was that whoever this guy was, he would not be a cakewalk. His grin was unfaltering as he advanced towards Riku, pointing one katana at his throat while the other rested on his shoulder. Knixc was forced to dodge to the right as another _Dark Slash_came towards him. In the time it took him to stand, both of his opponents closed the gap between them, although Tarzan was farther away, keeping Knixc just within jabbing distance of his spear.

The first true attack came from the Keybearer though, who slashed downwards onto Knixc's katana. The Nobody's grin widened as he blocked the attack while blocking a spear jab with his free weapon. Riku kicked him in the stomach and he grunted in pain, backing up a step as Tarzan jabbed with his spear again, but Knixc dodged, and Tarzan's own momentum carried him forward. He used this to his advantage though, and smashed his left fist into Knixc's temple, sending him spiraling onto the ground. He stood up silently, only for _Dark Fira_to blast into his face, knocking him back three more steps. Despite the abuse he took, his grin only widened until it was officially classified as 'sadistic' by Riku's standards, which were unbelievably high.

"You two have no chance at defeating me. But this will still be fun. Do show me your inner fire, Riku?" He asked, his blades gleaming as the sun struck them. "I could use the entertainment, you know?"

"I'll give you some entertainment, then! Welcome to the first episode of 'Riku slaying Nobodies', starring you, Knixc, as my first kill of the journey!" He retorted cheekily, causing Knixc to laugh maniacally. Riku took that moment to slash diagonally, only to find _Way to Dawn_catch against a single katana. _When did he move?_

"Do try harder," he said as he stabbed his second katana into the ground and caught Tarzan's spear with his bare hand. His laughter subsided as he gazed into aqua eyes. "Or does my speed outmatch yours that much?" He yanked on the spear, ripping it from Tarzan's clutches and began laughing again. "Such a pitiful weapon. Leave this to men wielding blades!" He tossed the spear high and it soared, arcing over the trees. Tarzan ran after it, next to useless without the spear.

Riku didn't slow down now that he was alone, sliding his Keyblade free of the katana and slicing towards Knixc's knee, only to find the other katana already in his hand and blocking the strike. _DAMN! _He pivoted on his right heel, trying to cut through Knixc's back, but both katanas were flung over his shoulders, and caught the strike, though it did cause him to stumble forward a few steps. Then he turned and retaliated with a slash of his own, catching Riku in the upper left arm. It was just a slight cut, barely half an inch deep, and Riku ignored it, the pain unfelt as the surge of energy came to him once more and he redoubled his efforts. However, the sight of the wound seemed to draw Knixc out more, and he turned into the aggressor, slashing rapidly and he only seemed to pick up speed. Riku managed to keep up with the initial strikes, but soon found himself getting small cuts on his legs, arms, face, and chest..

"Come on, Riku! Try!" Knixc exclaimed as he continued to slash and cut madly.

Riku grunted as both blades caught against _Way to Dawn_and Knixc's black boot sank into his stomach. The air in his lungs came out in a single short burst as his body came off of the ground. He fell back down onto his knees, looking into the deep green eyes of the Nobody that had just bested him. He saw nothing but a feigned look of interest as Knixc stood up and drew back his left arm, prepared to take Riku's head as a trophy. The teenager had just enough sense to roll backwards, sucking in air as he did. When he finished the roll, he pushed off of the ground with all his strength, throwing himself into the air. He drew his arm back, recalling _Way to Dawn_, which had slid from his grip, and lashed out at his opponent, catching him behind the shoulder. A puff of darkness rolled off of Knixc's shoulder as he spun from the force of the blow.

He used the spin to his advantage though, the katana in his left hand sliding towards Riku's stomach. He narrowly missed as he continued to turn. He knew Riku would attack from behind again, and using his immeasurable speed, he dodged to the left, stepping to the youth's side. His katana once again cut into the left arm, drawing a bit more blood than before. He stepped closer and smashed his fist into Riku's nose, and blood gushed out like a flowing red river. The boy was thrown back onto the ground and grunted as he slid several feet, rocks jabbing him in the back, adding discomfort to his pain and growing misery.

Riku rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself onto his shaky legs, but before his balance was able to return, he felt Knixc's boot connect with the back of his head. He sailed through the air and collided against a tree with a loud thud that echoed in his ears. "Screw me…" he grunted as he spotted Knixc walking toward him, that grin still plastered on his face. His katana was held high, ready to pierce Riku's heart, but Riku didn't give him the chance, sending three quick burst of _Dark Fira_his way. He didn't seem to move, but flickered to another spot out of the line of fire. His approach hadn't changed; he still planned on impaling the Keybearer through the heart. As he got closer, Riku heard something cutting through the air. A battle cry rang through the jungle and before Knixc could do as he pleased, a spear stabbed into his wrist and pierced through the other side. Knixc howled in pain, but still jabbed his blade into Riku's shoulder, causing him to cry out and curse.

"Damn! Consider yourself lucky. But we are not done yet! See you soon…" Knixc said before stepping through a corridor of darkness. His katana vanished in a flash of light as Tarzan ran up to Riku and helped him stand. Riku's entire body shook as blood seeped from his shoulder.

"Riku, okay?" Tarzan asked has he watched the teenager raise his hand. A magical green energy enveloped him, closing his wounds and healing his scrapes and bruises.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Is Jane okay?" Riku asked, glancing into the jungle man's eyes as his pain slowly subsided.

"Yes. Elephant friend take her tree house," he answered. His eyes showed no doubt that she was indeed safe, and Riku realized he had to report to Mickey before someone else showed up to attack him. He quickly made a snap decision that would have made Sora ashamed; he would return to the ship immediately instead of trying to find his wounded enemy. _Oh god, I'm starting to act like him…_

"Tarzan, I have to go. I can find the tree house if I come back. I have to call my other friends. You go check on Jane, and protect her. I hope I don't have to come back, except for maybe a vacation…"

"I miss Riku. You friend now. Bond of battle connect hearts. Never far apart."

"You're right. Hopefully we won't have to have anymore battles, except maybe against each other some day." Riku laughed and Tarzan patted his shoulder before turning and running into the jungle, back towards the woman he loved. Riku turned towards the direction he believed the waterfall was, basing his decision on where Tarzan had left to go to the tree house and where he knew the waterfall to be. "Just hope I'm right…" he muttered.

After a long walk through the jungle, and the occasional fight against some monkey-like Heartless and a few Nanakis, Riku spotted his ship, Twilight Crosser. He also spotted the man sitting on top of it. As he entered the clearing, he called _Way to Dawn _to him. "No jungle man to save you this time, Riku. Sure you can handle me, when I'm not holding back?" Knixc asked as he drew one katana from its sheath.

* * *

Yes, in the next chapter, we will see the conclusion to this battle and I'll showcase Knixc's powers more. Should be interesting, I really haven't used the hard copy of this stuff. We'll see how it goes. Review please!

Riku: You let him stab me!

I...warned you earlier? -laughs- You're fine, calm down.

Riku: -walks off, blasting _Dark Fira_ at me, knowing it will just fade out-

Oh well. Later! Oh, one more thing. If anyone can guess Knixc's two elements, they will be able to choose a character that will appear in my story! You have one week, maybe two. Here is a big hint: both of his element powers are the same as two different members of Organization XIII. And i do not necessarily mean elements like fire and water.


	12. Chapter 11: A Lover's Parting

Well, now we are changing over to Sora and the King, which I wasn't going to originally write, but I wanted to change this to a full KH story, not just Riku based. So you have a least a few chapters till we get back to our favorite Darkness wielding Keybearer.

Sora: What? You mean you are just going to leave my best friend like that? He was about to go one on one against this new guy!

Yeah, I know. But I really feel that your individual part needs to be told as well. And I like being cruel to my readers. Besides, I already know how that fight turns out. I have a large chunk of this already written, just not typed or edited. In fact, this is just being typed randomly, so it will need to be edited sometime later, probably right after I update again. I like that system, actually.

Sora: Bu…but…what the hell?

Kairi: Wow, Riax, that is really pointless info.

You're just mad that you're once again stuck on the sidelines. I really don't need to hear it from either of you, in fact. -Waves my hand towards them and laughs as their tongues tie into knots- Now then, Your Majesty? -Kisses Minnie's hand- The disclaimer, if you would be so kind.

Minnie: -Giggles- Of course. Riaxdan does not own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Square Enix, Final Fantasy, or anything else, except for his OCs.

Thank you, Your Royal Highness.

* * *

Sora stood against the door as the last echoes of the King's and his best friend's footsteps faded away into nothingness. A slim pair of comforting arms wrapped around his neck from behind him and the hot breath of his longtime love came out beside his ear. He instantly felt a little better, ignoring the fact that he would once again be separated from her for an unknown length of time, and may even fail to see her again. _No, _he reminded himself, _I cannot think like that. I know in my heart that I will succeed, if only to hold her again!_

"Sora, don't worry, I'll be here waiting for you," the auburn headed wielder whispered in his ear, soothing his mind and heart further. He sighed before suddenly spinning her around to stand in front of him, despite her grasp around his neck. He gazed into her blue orbs, and she stared lovingly into his. They still had not found the courage to say the magical words that they knew to be true, and the Keyblade Master knew he would have to utter them first. However, he felt the moment should be special, and the only opportunity that seemed halfway reasonable had passed by them when they were in the Secret Place, too embarrassed to speak, though he had managed to kiss her after they both looked at the drawing they had done.

"I know you will be, Kairi. I just know that I'm going to miss you. I hoped we could travel alongside each oth…" he said, his words being cut off as she pressed her lips to his. They stood like that for what felt like hours on end, but was actually thirty seconds. As she pulled away, a grin broke out on his features, lighting up his face and causing the girl he held to giggle.

"Did I mention that you can be so cute?" she asked, immediately turning her head away as the words passed her lips, trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

Sora found his own cheeks turning a shade of reddish pink as he stumbled over an appropriate response. After a minute he settled on "Thanks", much to his disdain. Before Kairi could pull away slightly, he blurted "You're simply beautiful!" His cheeks burned hotter, as did his girlfriend's, before they were surprised further.

"Aww, look at the love birds," Donald said aloud, finding himself unable to hold back from teasing the young couple. Goofy, who stood beside him, chuckled and nodded his head.

"They certainly look happy," he added. "We just stopped by to say goodbye to ya, Sora."

"Would have been easier to do if he had been in his room like we thought," the mage added angrily, but one look in his eyes told the spiky headed warrior that he was only kidding around. "Too bad we'll be stuck here in the castle."

"Well, I'd trade either of you places to be here with Kairi!" The love-struck teenage boy retorted. He instantly felt the mentioned girl, who had managed to slip from his arms when the two Disney Castle residents had shown up, gazing at him with a little smile on her face.

"Do you really mean that?" she asked him.

He turned to face her, the flush returning to flood his cheeks. "Of course I do, Kairi…" he whispered.

Donald and Goofy both laughed from behind the chosen Keybearer as they saw his cheeks redden further when his longtime friend and now girlfriend kissed him lightly. "Anyways," Goofy broke in, "we'll teach Kairi plenty while your gone. And who knows, maybe if she works hard, the King will decide that she can join you two later."

"Yeah," the short duck added, "she just needs to learn all the magic she can and get a bit stronger, then she'll be ready for battle!"

Sora smiled at his two friends gratefully. "Thanks, you two! I know with you guys by her side, she'll be ready in no time!"

"Speaking of ready," another voice said, "are you ready to depart?" Mickey rounded the corner and both Donald and Goofy immediately bowed to him. "And I thought I told you two to stop doing that! You are both my friends, and you shouldn't bow to me."

"Yes, Your Majesty," they said simultaneously, standing to their full height before embracing the mouse king in a crushing hug. "You be careful out there too! We need you to come back safe."

The brunette Keyblade Master watched this as Kairi slipped into his arms and hugged him just as tightly as they had hugged the King. He returned the hug as a single tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, before he could notice, but she couldn't keep her tear filled eyes from looking into his one last time. He brushed his hand across her cheek before planting a soft kiss on her lips, enjoying their taste before he left. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

She pushed something into his hand, and just by feeling it he knew it to be her lucky charm. He barely heard Mickey say that it was time to go until Donald smiled and sent a small electric shock into his rear, causing him to leap into the air before turning on the duck. With a single look at Sora's face, the mage ran down the hall, his laughter echoing back to the slightly infuriated boy. Before he could give chase, Mickey repeated himself.

"Sora, it is about time we followed Riku's example and left. The faster we move out, the sooner we can make a return trip to meet with him, and you can see Kairi again," he stated, attracting his companion's attention.

"Guess this is goodbye, Sora. I'll see you sometime soon," the dog knight said as he hugged his friend before walking down the hall, following Donald's path. He stopped and turned back, but his gaze fixed itself on the inexperienced Keybearer. "Oh, Kairi, we start your training tomorrow after lunch, okay?" She merely nodded her understanding before he continued to walk down the hall.

"Bye, Sora…be careful okay. And don't be a lazy bum," the auburn headed teenager said with a slight giggle. "I'll miss you."

He spun to face her before replying. "I'll be okay. And I'll miss you too. I'll try and contact you between worlds and keep you updated, I promise," he said as he backed away. The King waved his goodbye to the girl, who promptly waved back before they rounded the corner.

A few minutes later, the two Keybearers were walking down to see which ship they would be taking to travel from world to world. As they stepped off of the last of the stone steps that lead to the Gummi Hangar, a certain voice said "Don't forget about me!" Sora looked around for it before he spotted a small cricket in human clothing (not that it was any different than a dog, duck, or mouse in 'human' clothing). Jiminy hopped from the stone all the way to the Master's shoulder with apparent ease. "I'll still be chronicling your adventures," he explained.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Jiminy," Sora replied with a smile.

"Heya!" The two gummi ship building chipmunks said as the looked over from a ship they were apparently putting the final touches of paint on. "We just finished a new ship for the two of you!"

He couldn't help but ask the question that instantly sparked into his mind. "What's it called?" he blurted, noticing that the ship they were painting lacked an engine gummi. Mickey walked into the other room, where another ship was sitting where Riku's had been before its departure.

The ship was quite a bit larger than the lone traveler's was, with five Booster engines, as well as a large quantity of various weapon gummi blocks. Sora couldn't wait to pilot this behemoth in a dogfight with heartless or nobody ships. He could tell that it was ready to fly through all the trouble that could, and probably would, find the Keyblade Master and the King. "This," the engineers said as one, "is the Behemoth!" The teenager couldn't contain his laughter as he realized that he had just described it as such to himself.

Mickey smiled, guessing that his traveling companion had thought the same thing as himself of the large ship before them. The King of Disney Castle walked up the ramp leading to the interior, where five people could be comfortably housed if needed. He immediately strapped into the copilot's chair, already resigned to the fact that Sora would argue if he couldn't fly. The younger Keybearer noticed and appreciated this as he sat down. He powered Behemoth and within a few minutes, the castle was behind them and his excitement had temporarily alleviated his sadness of leaving a certain girl behind.

"So, where to, Your Majesty?"

"Well…hmmm, I really have no idea, Sora," Mickey answered slowly before the computer in front of him flashed the words incoming transmission in a scarlet box. Realizing that either Chip or Dale had forwarded the transmission signal, he opened it and a single face filled the screen.

"We need some help!" Cid yelled as Leon rushed outside, gunblade in hand.

* * *

-Sighs- An entirely new chapter written. Hope you liked it and if you didn't, sorry, but I felt that it was needed. It is realistic, at the very least.

Sora: So, you aren't telling us what is wrong in Radiant Garden?

Nope. Next chapter. But, I may update again soon since I have been gone for awhile.

Oh, and please tell your friends about this story, or review. And I noticed no one has attempted guessing at Knixc's powers. -sighs again- People, please, interact! Otherwise the people on my forum will take the contest. One of them may have already. And if you wanna be a part of the story, you can always check out my forum. You may even get a spoiler or two.

Finally, i feel it fair to warn you that while the next chapter is already underway of being typed, and will continue from this point, i will not update till i get five new reviews. i have a few people who have this story on alerts. and i dont care if you flame me for something. just review!


	13. Chapter 12: Master of Elements

Well, like I said, 25 reviews. Now because of a certain pal from my forum, I have 31! Even though they weren't long or all that helpful. -Sighs-

Riku: So, getting back to me yet?

Nope, continuing on with your friends. You can sit there ready to have a bloody grudge match next chapter, okay?

Sora: So, what's wrong in Radiant Garden?

Kairi: Yeah, I want to know. It is where I came from, right?

Yes it is. And you'll find out what is wrong soon. Right after the disclaimer, that is.

Sora: I got this! Riaxdan doesn't own anything he uses and if he did, he would have Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep right now, instead of having a copy paid off for when the shipments come in!

Exactly right.

* * *

Cid looked from the shocked face of the Keyblade Master to the King, who was punching in the coordinates for Radiant Garden with precision and agility. "What's going on?" Sora blurted out, his voice much quieter than normal and his entire body shaking. _Is Shi attacking more of my friends already? _He heard a _bang_ before a Heartless flew into the door, forcing it open from the force of the attack it had taken. Merlin stood in the doorway, his flowing blue robes torn in a few places and his hat askew. However, Sora noted, he seemed to be unharmed and was probably blasting Heartless with powerful spells the Keybearer couldn't cast himself.

"There must be a virus causing the claymores to go buggy again! Dammit, kid, you and King Mickey need to get your asses in gear and be here as soon as you can! We can't hold the Heartless and Nobodies off forever! Just go see Tron and fix things; I gotta go help out," Cid explained quickly, grabbing his spear and rushing outside, not bothering to end the transmission. Mickey closed it from the ship before sitting back in his chair.

"Okay, Sora, the coordinates are in. Activate warp drive on your mark!" the monarch said as he double checked that he was securely fastened in his seat. He knew the boy beside him would be pushing Behemoth to the limit in mere moments.

The spiky headed youth didn't bother with a warning, punching the code that would activate the warp drive into a computer in front of him. Seconds later, the ship was hurtling through space as the two Keybearers thought of the battle that lie just ahead of them.

* * *

In just under two hours, the Behemoth carried its two occupants from the space around Disney Castle to Radiant Garden, which had changed a lot in the few weeks since Sora had last seen it. He didn't notice any differences in Merlin's house as he and the King appeared just inside the doorway. Somehow, the door had broken free of the hinges it had rested on and was laying several feet closer to Cid's computer, which was still flashing the _Transmission Ended_ message in bright red lettering.

The two warriors heard a fiery explosion and rushed out of the wizard's dwelling to see carnage all around them. In the heat of battle, several houses had lost tiles from the rooftops and a few windows were broken, probably from stray spells and blocked attacks. Leon was alone fending off several large Defenders while trying to get to the Green Requiems that continually healed the other Heartless. As they prepared to leap to his aid, they heard another loud _bang _from nearby. With a nod to Sora, Mickey rushed off to find who he assumed to be Merlin, leaving the teenager to fight alongside the man holding the gunblade.

Remembering how magic was useless against the small green heartless, he called _Oblivion_ to his hand and leapt into the air. With two slices of his blade, he had sliced through one Heartless before he was falling back towards the stone ground. He spun quickly and felt himself lift higher once more. His spin stopped right as his arm shot out, impaling a second of the Requiems. He landed before hopping backwards as the shield of a Defender swung at his side. The same Heartless left no time for a counterstrike as a large icicle shot from the mouth of his shield. "Firaga!" Sora yelled, and as the ice melted and evaporated as the white hot flames spun around the boy like a barrier.

Leon took advantage of this moment and impaled his own blade into the neck of the Defender, which promptly faded away as wisps of darkness. Seconds later, he let out a grunt of pain as he tumbled forward, another shield having collided with his back. However, he was quick to recover, rolling to his feet and slicing the arm of a Soldier clean off as seven more appeared. He and the wielder of _Oblivion _were now outnumbered two to one, with the eight new Soldiers, eight Defenders, and four Green Requiems.

Sora had neglected to notice this fact, having been outnumbered a thousand to one in the Great Maw. He spun his Keyblade before raising it into the sky with a shout of "Thundaga!" Lightning came at his call, striking down at the Heartless and destroying three Soldiers, as well as stunning a Defender, whom the young master immediately cut in several places before it simply exploded in a plume of darkness. He smiled as he turned to face the remaining enemies, lost in the battle.

* * *

The King ran towards the market before he spotted the old wizard waving his wand in varying patterns of advance spell casting as enemies surrounded him. Heartless were thrown back from him with every flick of his wrist, but at times one would manage to go unnoticed by Merlin and jump at him. Somehow the powerful wizard was still unharmed, managing to step out of the way just in time. As he spotted the royal mouse, he shouted "Well don't just stand there and gawk, Your Majesty, even if it has been awhile since you've seen this old coot fight!"

He was shaken from his trance as his cheeks turned red with shame. He had just made a mistake that he was unsure even Sora would make after all he had been through over the last year. His embarrassment set aside for later, he called _Kingdom Key D _to his highly capable hands and charged into the fight. He somersaulted through the air and slashed a Crimson Jazz before landing only to pivot to his left and cut through the same Heartless two more times before it faded away. He instinctively slashed behind him, cutting a fireball from a Red Nocturne in two halves, which flew behind him to fizzle out. His blade pointed at the small enemy, and before it could move, a streak of white light had erupted from the end of his weapon and blasted through the Heartless to strike a larger NeoShadow.

Merlin focused on his spells before glancing back to see that he was no longer encircled by the heart hunting monsters. He backed up till he was leaning against the stone behind him, easing the pain in his legs slightly. _Old wizards,_ he thought to himself, _should either keep in shape or avoid battle situations. My old bones can't handle this forever. _He waved his wand faster as three NeoShadows and a Soldier charged him. A large fireball, ten times as large as the ones from the Red Nocturnes, erupted from the tip with all the ferocity of a volcanic eruption. His attackers were burnt to a crisp from the heat alone, and the fire itself only shredded their bodies into tiny particles no bigger than an atom. Merlin chuckled to himself as he released another, much smaller, fireball in the direction of a Heartless attacking the King from behind.

Mickey felt the heat from the fire that passed by him as he dueled with a rare Zip Slasher. They traded blows for half a minute, with the small king managing to block each strike while still landing blows of his own, when it started to spin towards the mouse. Its blades crashed against the Keyblade in a flurry of attacks, and he was forced to jump away from it. However, when he leapt away, his back collided with a wall he hadn't known was there and he found himself dazed for a few seconds. That was all the bladed Heartless needed, though. It dashed forward, arm drawn back as it prepared to cut Mickey's heart from his chest with a single slash, and in doing so, rid the presence of _Kingdom Key D_ from the stars. However, Merlin's wand was faster, and the Heartless was destroy by a bolt of lightning.

* * *

"Sora!" The scarred man shouted as the teenager was attacked from all sides. He was ready for this though, and jumped into the air. Pointing his key downwards, he muttered a spell that sent a medium size icicle into the center of the four enemies. It shattered against the ground, and needles of ice sunk into each of them before they faded away. When he landed, Leon rushed to his side. "If you can take care of those green Heartless, I can handle the rest here. I'll distract the Defenders for you; they're what has stopped me from getting the little ones," he explained before launching a ball of fire at the shielded enemies he had spoke of. The lead Heartless blocked the attack, but slid back several feet from the strength of the attack.

Sora rushed forward and boldly leapt at the stunned Heartless. He planted his feet on its shield and let out a fireball of his own with a shout of "Fira!", the end of _Oblivion _only inches from its face. As the fireball exploded, the force threw the Keyblade Master into the air, where he cut two of the Green Requiems in half with a single mighty swing of his Keyblade. As he began to fall towards the ground, he called on the light in his heart, an image of Kairi helping him concentrate on the power within. The light gathered at the tip of his key before bursting forth and cutting through the last two of the green, heart craving beings.

The gunblade toting man was beside Sora when he landed, and immediately snapped his fingers to ensure he had the boy's attention. "Cid is defending the Bailey. He should be able to explain what is going on better now that you're here." The teenager nodded before running straight at the last five Defenders. They all lunged forward at him, but he jumped over all of them and twisted in midair. With a grin, he let his weapon fly through the air before it cut into the back of the lead Heartless, leaving a deep gash that oozed tendrils of darkness. As he landed, he recalled his mystical weapon to him and continued running to the Bailey.

* * *

Mickey and Merlin made an effective team as they began working as a single unit. The wise old wizard would blast the Heartless away from him and towards the aging mouse king, who would impale the creatures as they flew towards him. He was also forced to fend off a few of the ones that didn't attack the blue robed man, but they found it more than doable, they found the system highly efficient. Within a few minutes, the Heartless that hadn't been destroyed, mostly Crimson Jazzes and Soldiers, disappeared through their usual Corridors of Darkness.

Well done, Your Majesty!" Merlin said happily as he waved his wand and the cuts in his robes disappeared. He waved it again and a green energy consumed the King, and when it faded he was devoid of injuries, even one as simple as a minor scratch. "Now then, let us find Leon and make sure he is okay. Are you traveling alone? I didn't get a chance to look at Cid's computer screen when he contacted you," he added, to explain his question, obviously remembering that he had blown the door wide open while Cid was talking.

"No, I am traveling and watching over Sora for now. Trouble seems to find him the most, after all." Merlin nodded his agreement as they turned to see the wizard's house. It was exactly how it had been when the King had left it, and the wizard had apparently seen it like this already, because he didn't show surprise or anger. Mickey looked for his young companion as he saw Leon surrounded by large, blue armored Heartless, with shields attached to their forearms. He didn't hesitate to aim his key, which he had yet to dismiss, and fire off a beam off golden light, which struck the closest Defender in the back. The other three looked over at the warrior holding his Keyblade, and seconds later they disappeared from the area.

The gunblade wielder looked at the King before pointing his sword towards the Bailey. "He went to help Cid," he stated simply. Mickey nodded and ran towards Sora and Cid, ready to help repel whatever may come.

* * *

Sora found Cid fighting with Nobodies, instead of Heartless, in the restored open area beside the door to the path leading to Ansem's Study. He was currently blocking the blades of a Samurai with the end of his spear, before he swung it around and lunged, impaling a Dusk. He noticed a spiky haired boy bounding towards him with an odd, black steel key in hand, and yelled "Sora, get your ass in here!" Doing just that, the boy seemed to skip over between fifteen and twenty feet of ground to stop suddenly beside the mechanic. He growled at the kid and smirked, chewing his toothpick as another Dusk came at him. He realized it a second too late, and as he turned to block, the Nobody stepped close and went to headbutt him, when it was suddenly impaled by cold, black steel.

"Watch yourself, Cid," Sora said as his face shifted from happy to determined. "We'll celebrate me coming back after we beat these guys!"

"Sounds damn good to me kid!" Cid yelled as the two leapt at their enemies with renewed ferocity.

The Keyblade Master quickly found himself surrounded by seven Nobodies. _I despise these things, _the youth thought to himself as he spun _Oblivion_ around in two tight circles before grasping it tightly with his gloved hands again. The eight beings stood there for a second…seconds…a minute, and neither side made a single move to attack. Suddenly, Sora jumped into the air and cried out "Magnega!" Five of the Nobodies were brought to a single point has the spell took effect, creating a magnetic orb. The other two Nobodies, being Assassins, were hiding in the ground and escaped the effect of the spell. As he landed a few feet away, he aimed his blade at the five captured enemies. "FIRAGA!" At his shout, a huge fireball, at least as wide as Pete, burst forth and crashed into the enemies. Two Dusks and a Creeper were immediately incinerated, while a Samurai and its twin were thrown into the cliff behind them.

Cid was having less luck against three Samurais as they attacked him from three different places in a repetitive pattern. As soon as he moved to block one attack, another would come forward, slashing wildly, and cut his arms and legs. He felt slightly lightheaded as he counted at least four bad gashes on his left arm and leg, blood pouring from each of these wounds. As he saw the blood, adrenaline filled his system and his movements became quicker, his pain forgotten. He lunged at the closest Samurai, stabbing it through the chest as another slashed at him. He countered with a solid kick to its chest, knocking it back a couple of feet. Miraculously, he didn't get cut again in that moment, but the third Nobody planned to change that. Time slowed down for the two of them until something made the mechanic lunge forward and impale the being through its forehead just as it unsheathed one of its blades. As the final Nobody stood back, two Berserkers appeared flanking it. "Damn, and I was just starting to feel lucky," he muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, Sora was holding his own against the two Assassins when three Berserkers appeared, holding their giant weapons in hand. _Wish we had Cid's claymores helping us out! _With a growl, the young master charged forward only to hear a voice yell "Stop!" He skidded to a halt as he and the Nobodies looked towards a man in a black cloak. His hood was down, and Sora's cerulean eyes locked onto his purple ones. _Riaxdan!_ The man waved at the Nobodies and they disappeared, only to reappear around Cid, who was now helpless and incapable of defending himself.

The wind whipped up around the large Nobody with deep purple eyes and a small scowl. As the wind blew harder, it actually conformed around the man's legs, lifting him into the air. He seemed unperturbed by this as it carried him down to where the Keybearing teenager stood. Sora couldn't decide whether to attack and hope he called the other Nobodies to subdue him, or to dash over to a now unconscious Cid and fight the enemy away.

"They will not attack him, I promise you that. And they will not attack you, either. Nor will I, unless you attempt to strike first, or agree to my deal," the man informed Sora slowly.

"What kind of deal would we make?" the teen asked in response, his spikes bouncing as his head turned from the Nobody to Cid and back again.

Riaxdan's scowl disappeared, replaced by a small grin. "Well, I'll tell you my master's plan for his precious girlfriend and the name of our organization if you win. Perhaps that will allow you to gather more information from the other worlds."

"And if I lose?"

"You come back with me to meet my master and join his army, whether by choice or by force. Can you risk that, little Keywarrior?"

Sora made the decision before the second condition has even crossed his mind. Information about Kairi was at stake, and he intended to win it to help protect his precious love. "Yes!" he replied sharply, _Oblivion_ disappearing to be replaced by _Oathkeeper_. _I have Kairi right here,_ he thought to himself. Riaxdan smiled, which struck the 'Keywarrior' as odd, when the ground beside him rose suddenly. After it rose to a height that dwarfed even the large man before him, it cracked open and fell away, exposing a large blade.

"_Nova Eclipse_," he said with a laugh. "It will crush you with a single blow!" Without another word, the Nobody lunged forward faster than Sora would have thought possible, especially holding a weapon that was over six and a half feet long. He managed to roll out of the way and spun as he stood, facing his opponent once more. This time he took to the offensive, dashing forward and swinging downwards hard, only for his key to collide with the axe sword of Riaxdan's. There was no contesting the large Nobody's strength, so Sora jumped back and let loose mighty roar of "Thundaga!"

A bolt of powerful, twisting lightning struck out at the Nobody, who caught it, much like he had done to Donald's spell, except now he formed it into a small, compact ball of electricity. "You did not hear from your friends, or did they not understand?" He asked, then pressed on without waiting for an answer. "I am a master of the four elements of nature! They are useless against me!"

The Keyblade Master's entire body seemed to sink towards the ground at this news. It hadn't been mentioned to him that this guy was so powerful, and if none of his magic would work, he had to rely solely on physicality, and with such a large man, it seemed like a truly daunting battle was beginning. Sora was unsure if he could win until a memory flashed into his mind. Kairi, in his arms just over two hours ago, had been smiling and laughing with him, as well as at him when Donald shocked him. He couldn't lose, because if he did, she would surely give up hope herself.

_**There you go, man, don't give up hope! **_A voice said, causing Sora to look around quickly. He recognized it, but he couldn't place who owned the mysterious voice. Before he could think about it further, a circular pillar of earth, about the same diameter as Wakka's blitzball, shot into his stomach and sent him flying a few feet before he skidded across the ground.

A torrent of water fell on the youth's face and washed into his open mouth, causing him to choke and cough madly for a minute. "Pay attention, or I'll just grab you and carry you through a Corridor to my master. I expected this to be interesting, Keyblade 'Master'. I am only happy in battle, anymore. So," the Nobody finished, "give me one hell of a fight!" With those words, Riaxdan's booted foot connected with Sora's face, causing him to roll away, feeling blood enter his mouth from where he accidentally bit his cheek. He spit a bit onto the ground and ran his tongue over his teeth. None were loose, at the very least.

Climbing onto shaky legs, the Keybearer looked at his enemy once more, this time with loathing and anger. "You will NOT take my Kairi away from me!" he shouted, a burst of blue light emanating from _Oathkeeper_ before barreling into the chest of the Master of Elements. He slid back a few inches and rubbed the now tender skin of his chest. Another blast hit him in the shoulder, and his arm instantly lost all sensation of feeling. "Thundaga!" This time the lightning bolt came from the end of the mystic Keyblade, catching Riaxdan's off guard, allowing it to connect with his chest, directly over where his heart would be. He gasped as a spasm caused him to drop _Nova Eclipse_. When Sora attempted to take advantage, the Nobody raised an earthen shield that was as tall as he was and was roughly as wide as the King's throne room.

After seeing no way around it but over the top, Sora charged forward, only to have the entire wall move to meet him. He was left with just enough time to react, leaping over it and coming down towards Riaxdan, who once again held his huge weapon. The self-proclaimed Master of Elements was not surprised by this, and in fact was smiling at the fifteen year old. The wind whipped up again as the embers of a dying fire began to sparkle into life in front Riaxdan. The embers glowed and grew into small fires that the wind whipped around towards the Keyblade Master. He spun up higher to dodge away from the flames, but they followed, faster than the boy. He blocked one with _Oathkeeper_ and the energy behind it forced him to fall towards the ground much faster, even faster than when Xemnas had smacked him down from the side of Memory Skyscraper.

As he fell, the other fires merged into the fiery image of Dark Riku, who immediately began diving towards him. As he dove, his heat gained intensity and Sora could feel it from over five feet away. He had no time to think as the flaming replica of his friend came at him, and he simply shouted "HELP!" As if his cry was some mystical call, a beam of golden light cut through the fire and he hit the ground with a _thump._ His head felt as if it had been hit by Donald's staff over and over again, which he bitterly remembered experiencing on this world. He could almost feel the bruises forming on his back around the scratches and small cuts.

The sound of metal clanging against metal finally registered with his brain and he rolled over to see King Mickey clashing with the much larger Riaxdan. The King's acrobatic style were almost too much for the Nobody, as he had begun to scowl again and was focused solely on the King. He tried to blast a pillar of earth into the small mouse, but he did a spectacular backflip handspring, landing against the cliff. He kicked off to shoot at his enemy, the determination showing on his face. His Keyblade smashed through the pillar and a condensed ball of water before smashing against the axe sword the Nobody wielded.

Sora muttered "Cura" as he watched Mickey battle against this man that had seemingly beaten him. The thought suddenly enraged the Keybearer, who sat up and aimed his blade for the small of Riaxdan's back. "For Kairi!" _**For Namin**__**é!**_ The voice was the least important thing right now, though that name rang a bell as well, and he let loose another blast of light. It flew straight and slammed into the exact spot that he had aimed for. The Nobody stumbled forward, letting his guard down as pain spread through his lower back. Mickey used this opportunity to slash into his chest, tendrils of darkness flowing away instantly.

A circular barrier of rock rose twenty feet into the air around Riaxdan. "Well done, Sora. You have won this round, though you did have some help," he said bitterly, his voice carrying itself to the Keybearer's ears.

"So you'll keep our deal?"

"Of course!" He shouted. "Do not insult my honor just because you were victorious once. I'm nowhere near death today. Now, listen closely. Shi is the head of an organization known only as Death's Hand, though no one outside our group has heard the name before. It will be entirely useless to you. As for your loved one, the Princess of Heart…when Shi captures her and the others, he will force all the light in their hearts to merge with his heart of pure darkness. Your precious loved one will not die, but be forced to watch through Shi's eyes as he conquers all and kills you and your friends."

Sora felt nothing beyond the anger at this plan. It was beyond any evil Maleficent or Xemnas had attempted, twisted so far beyond what the young warrior could believe to be conceived that his very core was shaken. He felt more fear towards Shi than he had towards all of Organization XIII, Maleficent, Hades, or Cerberus combined. He felt as if the only person who could be feared any more than the leader of Death's Hand was Sephiroth, though his whereabouts were still unknown. Then a sound reached Sora's ears: Riaxdan was laughing.

Something inside the boy snapped and he snarled, leaping at the wall of rock, his Keyblade forgotten. The sound of a Corridor of Darkness opening was heard before the barrier receded into the ground. Riaxdan was gone, leaving a confused monarch and an angered and worried teenager to ponder his words.

_And we haven't even fixed the claymores, _Sora thought with a frown.

_

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Well, that was fun. We'll return to Riku next chapter and see how his fight with Death's Hand goes.

Sora and Riku: YOU PLAN TO DO THAT TO KAIRI?

No, Shi does. I don't know yet how that will go, boys. So keep calm, or I'll have to make you calm.

Sora: YOU CAN'T DO THA…-presses my hand to his forehead- WHAT ARE YOU DOI…-watches him fall to the ground, unconscious-

I said be calm. -Sighs- I don't enjoy torturing you guys…

Riku: Just get us to the next chapter!

All in good time. Anyways, read and review folks. By the way, Knixc's powers have been correctly guessed by a member of my forum, but don't worry, another chance to pick a character to include will come soon. And the idea to do these 'contests', as far as I know, was originally though up by Shire Folk, and I just couldn't help myself. I like the interaction. If anyone would interact, that is…


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